title: Effects of an educational program on self-management in patients with epilepsy.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Self-management majorly determines the health status of patients with epilepsy because the most important strategies for controlling seizures include receiving and adhering to prescribed therapies, and making appropriate lifestyle adjustments. Patients with epilepsy have various educational needs and must adopt many self-management behaviors to control their condition. This study was a clinical trial that evaluated the effects of an educational program on self-management in patients with epilepsy.
  
  
  METHODS
  Participants (n=60) were recruited from the Neurology Clinic in Zanjan, Iran. Patients were randomly assigned to the intervention and control groups (n=30 in each). The intervention group received four educational sessions on epilepsy, including a self-management plan. All participants completed the Epilepsy Self-Management Scale before the intervention and 1 month post-intervention. The chi-square test, Fisher's exact test, independent t-test, and paired samples t-test were used to compare the groups.
  
  
  RESULTS
  At baseline, demographic characteristics and self-management scores did not differ significantly. One month after the intervention, self-management scores differed significantly (p<0.001) between the two groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The educational program had beneficial effects on self-management behaviors in patients with epilepsy.
authors.affiliation: Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Medical and Surgical Nursing Department, Iran. aliasgha@sina.tums.ac.ir
authors.forename: Mansooreh
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Aliasgharpour
authors.forename: Nahid
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Dehgahn Nayeri
authors.forename: Mohammad Ali
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Yadegary
authors.forename: Hamid
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Haghani
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D004827:Epilepsy / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010353:Patient Education as Topic / Q000379:methods*; D012648:Self Care; D012737:Sex Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult