The Effectiveness of Family- Centered Education on Quality of Life and Readmission in Children with Nephrotic Syndrome

Background:

 Children with Nephrotic Syndrome (NS) experience frequent hospitalizations, and readmission affects the quality of life of the patient and family. We aimed to investigate the effectiveness of family- center education on quality of life and readmission in children with nephrotic syndrome.

This quasi-experimental study was performed in two groups the pediatric ward of Ali Ebn Abitalib Hospital, Zahedan, Iran, in 2018. Ninety-six children with Nephrotic Syndrome were selected by convenience sampling and were randomly into two groups:  intervention (n = 48) and control (n = 48) groups. In the intervention group, family-centered education was held for 4 sessions. Eight weeks after training, readmission and quality of life were assessed. The Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory (PedsQL 4.0), and demographic information were used before and after intervention.

The mean age of children with NS in the intervention group was (8.06 ±2.10), and in the control group it was (8.58 ± 2.87) (P>0.05). The mean of quality of life in the intervention group after the intervention (56.02 ±192.28) was significantly higher than before the intervention (51.73 ± 164.71) (p <0.001, t= 7.54). The mean of quality of life after intervention was significantly different between the intervention and control groups (P= 0.03, t= -3.03). There was also a significant difference between the two groups in terms of mean readmission (P < 0.001). 

Conclusion:

The results suggest that family-centered education effected on quality of life and readmission; so we propose that nurses can use family-centered education as a cost-effective and acceptable method for families of children with chronic illness.