Investigating the effect of family-centered care program implementation on fatigue and depression of teenage girls with iron deficiency anemia

Today, one of the most common health problems in the world is iron deficiency anemia. The present study was conducted with the aim of determining the effect of the family-centered care program on fatigue and depression of teenage girls suffering from iron deficiency anemia. Family-centered care is a method which is controlled through mutually beneficial partnerships between caregivers, patients, and families. Family-centered care is systematically organized in such a way that the dynamics and complexities of different aspects of individuals and families are taken into consideration.

This was a quasi-experimental and practical study conducted in 2020 in which 70 adolescent girls with iron deficiency anemia studying in high school in Mahmudabad were selected through purposive and convenience sampling. The research tools were the stem fatigue and Beck depression questionnaire. After collecting the information obtained from the pre-intervention stage, the family care program for adolescent girls was conducted in the test group, and the secondary test was performed 3 months after the intervention. In the control group, the questionnaires were evaluated at the beginning, and then 3 months after the training- held in 6 sessions- and the data of the two groups were analyzed using paired t-test and dependent t-test.

The comparison of the total score of fatigue and depression for adolescent girls with iron deficiency anemia before and after the intervention in the test group showed a significant difference regarding decreasing scores (P<0.001); however, there was no significant difference in the control group (P> 0.05). Furthermore, the comparison of the total fatigue scores of adolescent girls with iron deficiency anemia before and after the intervention in the experimental group showed a significant difference in reducing scores (P < 0.001), but in the control group, there was no significant difference (P = 0.182).The comparison of total depression scores of adolescent girls with iron deficiency anemia before and after the intervention in the test group showed a significant difference in reducing scores (P < 0.001), but in the control group, no significant difference was observed (P=0.667).

The results showed that the rate of fatigue and depression in adolescent girls with iron deficiency anemia who receive the family-centered care program has decreased compared to the control group.