The Effectiveness of Using Integrated Cognitive-Spiritual Counseling Interventional Approach on Adherence to the Treatment Regimen and its Components in Hemodialysis Patients

Dialysis is a type of medical treatment in which the blood is filtered using special equipment that helps maintain the balance of liquids and the body’s electrolytes. Non-compliance with the treatment regimen is one of the obstacles to successful dialysis in hemodialysis patients. This study aimed to investigate the effect of the integrated approach of spiritual-cognitive counseling on adherence to the treatment or therapy regimen and its components in hemodialysis patients.

A quasi-experimental design with a pre-test, post-test, and control group was used. The statistical population of the study included all hemodialysis patients who needed and used hemodialysis in Shahid Rahimi Hospital in Khorramabad in the spring of 2019. For this study, 30 individuals were selected through convenient sampling and were randomly assigned to experimental and control groups (each group 15). A pre-test with a questionnaire about adherence to therapy regimen was given at the same time and conditions. Then, the intervention was performed using the combined method of spiritual-cognitive counseling for eight ninety-minute sessions on the experimental group. At the same time, the control group did not receive any interventions. After completing the courses, the post-test was administered for both groups.

The results of multivariate and one-variable covariance analysis showed that the intervention of the combined approach of spiritual-cognitive counseling was effective in compliance with the regimen and its components in hemodialysis patients and there was a significant difference between the two groups (P < 0.01).

According to the results, the combined approach of cognitive-spiritual counseling can increase compliance with the treatment regimen and its components in hemodialysis patients. So, this method can be used to adhere to the hemodialysis treatment regimen.