Effect of Implementing Orem Self-Care Model on Health-Promoting Behaviors of Mothers having Children with Leukemia Referring to the Pediatric Ward of Seyed Al-Shohada Hospital in Isfahan City (Iran) in 2021

Leukemia refers to one of the most prevailed childhood malignancies. Mothers are the first caregivers of children with leukemia, experiencing a bunch of challenges in dealing with the numerous problems and duties caused by their children’s illness. This study aimed to determine the effect of implementing the Orem self-care model on health-promoting behaviors of mothers having children with leukemia referring to the pediatric ward of Seyed Al-Shohada Hospital in Isfahan city, Iran, in 2021.

This quasi-experimental study investigated 32 mothers having children with leukemia referring to the pediatric ward of Seyed Al-Shohada Hospital, who were selected by the available sampling method according to the study’s inclusion criteria. The tools employed to collect the required data were a demographic information form, Walker’s Health-Promoting Lifestyle Profile, and a needs assessment based on the Orem model, measured at two stages of before and after the implementation of the Orem self-care model. In accordance with the mothers’ needs, a supportive training program was designed and implemented in-person and individually for a total of 8 h in 4 sessions held once a week. Furthermore, an educational pamphlet was designed and they were provided to the participants. During the intervention, the research samples were communicated by telephone and in-person and were checked about the way of performing and applying the given pieces of training. Any problem in any of the units was solved in case of presence. In the next step, after 1 month of self-care training, the researcher completed the standard Health-Promoting Lifestyle Profile again after 1 week. In the end, the collected data were analyzed in SPSS20 statistical software using both descriptive and inferential levels.

The results revealed that in the dimensions of self-fulfillment, accountability, interpersonal support, stress management, exercise, nutrition, and health-promoting index, the mean scores of maternal health-promoting behaviors were significantly higher after implementing the Orem self-care model, compared to the score before implementing the model (P<0.001).

According to the findings, it may be claimed that the implementation of the Orem self-care model affected the health-promoting behaviors of mothers having children with leukemia. Consequently, it is necessary to adopt supportive-educational measures based on the Orem model in the relevant centers according to the mothers’ needs.