EFFECTIVENESS OF EDUCATIONAL PROGRAM BASED ON SELF MANAGEMENT MODEL ON DEPRESSION, ANXIETY AND STRESS IN PATIENTS WITH SICKLE CELL DISEASE (24 WEEKS FOLLOW UP)

Patients suffering from sickle cell disease may indeed vary in their psychological
adaptation to the unpredictability and seriousness of the complication and lead to lower quality of life
in these patients. The aim of this study was to determine the effectiveness of self-management program
on Depression, Anxiety and Stress in patients with sickle cell disease.
Materials & Methods: Samples of this quasi-experimental study, which included 69 patients with sickle
cell disease referring to the Thalassemia Clinic of Shafa Hospital, were entered into the study by census
method. Patients received a self-management program using the 5A model (Assess, Advice, Agree,
Assist and Arrange) for 12 weeks, while the Depression, Anxiety and Stress of patients before the
intervention was assessed at the twelfth week and thirty-sixth week using Doss-21 questionnaire. Data
were analyzed by descriptive statistics, paired t-test, Wilcoxon test and repeated measures test in SPSS
software v.19.
Results: There were significant differences between Depression, Anxiety and Stress levels before and
after intervention (p < 0.001). Repeated measures test showed a significant difference between the scores
of the Depression, Anxiety and Stress in the twelfth week and thirty-sixth week after intervention
comparing to the pre-intervention (p<0.001).
Conclusion: It is concluded that self management program can be used, as an interventional method, to
decrease stress, anxiety, and depression in patients with sickle cell disease. Therefore, selfmanagement program as an effective way is advisable to decrease mental health problems in the
sickle cell patients