Effect of Self-care Education Using Face-to-face Method and Pamphlets on Epilepsy Risk Awareness of Patients With Epilepsy and their Family Caregivers

Introduction: For patients with epilepsy and their family caregivers, epilepsy risk awareness (ERA) can affect various aspects of health. They need effective education to improve their quality of life. Objective: This study aims to compare the effect of self-care education on ERA in patients with epilepsy and their family caregivers using the face-to-face method and pamphlets. Materials and Methods: In this quasi-experimental study, participants were patients with epilepsy referred to a neurological outpatient clinic in Tabriz, Iran and their family caregivers. They were randomly assigned to the intervention (60 patients and 60 caregivers) and control (60 patients and 60 caregivers) groups. The ERA scales for patients and family caregivers were completed before and one month after the education. The intervention group received ERA-based self-care education in a 60-minute session using the face-to-face method. The pamphlet group received the same education using pamphlets. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, paired t-test, independent t-test, Fisher’s exact test, chi-square test, and ANCOVA. Results: Most of the patients (70%) and caregivers (53.3%) in the intervention group were female, and their mean age was 28.07 and 40.75 years, respectively. In the pamphlet group, most of the patients (68.67%) and caregivers (63.3%) were female, with a mean age of 30.28 and 42.32 years, respectively. After education, mean ERA scores increased significantly in both intervention and pamphlet groups (P=0.001). Except for the two domains of physical and mental health, the mean scores of ERA domains were higher in the intervention group than in the pamphlet group (P=0.01). These results were confirmed by ANCOVA results (P 0.01). Conclusion: Self-care education with the face-to-face method or pamphlets both can increase the ERA of patients with epilepsy and their family caregivers. Depending on the conditions and available facilities, nurses can use these methods to facilitate patient education and the learning process.