The effect of a self-care education program on cerebrovascular disease patients' activities of daily living

Abstract

Purpose. Cerebrovasculer Disease (CVD) is in first place for frequency and importance among all of the neurologic diseases in adults. Cerebrovascular disease is the cause for severe disabilities in individuals and affects their self care and Activities of Daily Living (ADLs). This study was conducted as an experimental study for the purpose of investigating the effect of a self-care education program given to individuals with the diagnosis of Cerebrovascular disease on their level of independence in activities of daily living. Methods. The present study included totaly 40 patients as 20 experimental group and 20 control group, all of whom were staying with the diagnosis of CVD at the Neurology Clinic of Cumhuriyet University Hospital between MarchSeptember 2003. 20 patients with CVD constitute the control, experimental groups, had an information form from the literature about their socio-demographic individual indipendence and they also had the Barthel's Activity of Daily Living Index on their individual indipendence. In the evaluation of the data the Chi-Square Test, Mann-Whitney-U Test and Wilcoxon Test are used. Results. Before the discharge from the hospital the test group had 30.75 and the control group 30.50 rates of daily activities. After the analysis between these two groups no logical statistical difference is found. After the discharge (following the first education) the avarage rate of the test group increases to the 60.00 percent and the control group to39.50. At the last measurement (after second education) the test group rate avarage increases to the 82.25 and the control group to the 47.00, and the useful effects to the Daily Living activities of the CVD patients are observed. At the last two measurements the difference between the avarage rates is found logical. In this study it is observed that, the individuals who take personel life freedom activity programs have a development in their lifestyles. Conclusions. The result of this study was that individuals who received a self-care education program had an increase in their level of independence with ADLs and this increase was shown to be affected by the education program.