THE EFFECT OF FAMILY-CENTERED EMPOWERMENT MODEL ON THE LEVEL OF FATIGUE OF PATIENTS UNDERGOING CHEMOTHERAPY

Cancer is one of the most important health-related issue in Iran and Worldwide. Cancer-related fatigue can persist even years after chemotherapy, and fatigue reduces the person's ability to work, activity, and trying to maintain a normal life. The purpose of this study was to study the effect of the family-centered empowerment model on the level of fatigue of the patients undergoing chemotherapy.

This is a semi experimental study in which 80 people were selected by convenience sampling method from the patients of blood 1 and 2 sections who were hospitalized in Imam Khomeini hospital in Urmia city, Iran. The family-centered empowerment model was enrolle in 4 main steps included: 1- understanding the threat, 2- promoting self-efficacy/problem solving, 3- promoting self-confidence and self-esteem through educational participation, and 4- evaluating the accomplishment of the task; These procedures were performed for the intervention group during 3 months in the 2nd Blood Department of Imam Khomeini Hospital in Urmia. Cancer fatigue scale tool and demographic and clinical characteristics questionnaire were used to collect data. Data were analyzed by paired t-test, independent t-test, Fisher's exact test, and chi-square test using STATA version 12 software.

At the beginning of the study, the two intervention and control groups did not have a significant difference in terms of the average fatigue score (p=0.649). After the intervention, the average fatigue score of the intervention group (34.57 ± 4.10) decreased significantly compared to the control group (46.77 ± 5.43) (p<0.001).

The results of the study showed that empowering the family members responsible for the care of cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy has reduced the level of fatigue in the patients. Nurses are advised to help them reduce the side effects of chemotherapy by applying the family-oriented empowerment model and consciously involving the patient and family in making decisions to improve their health.