Impact of health instructions on improving knowledge and practices of haemophilia A adolescents: a single centre experience.
BACKGROUND
Nowadays, health education has been elevated to a higher standing in healthcare systems in managing chronic illness; yet, this approach has not received sufficient support in developing countries as these societies still tend to the traditional stage of 'treatment after disease'. Adolescence is a critical period and voyage into adulthood can be more challenging for haemophilia teens. For teens with haemophilia, learning to care for their own disorder is a giant step forward in asserting their independence and preparation for adult life.


OBJECTIVE
We aimed to determine impact of health instructions on improving knowledge and practices of haemophilia A adolescents.


METHODS
An interventional study was conducted on 50 haemophilia A adolescents at outpatient clinic of Pediatric Hematology Unit of Zagazig University Hospitals. Three tools were used. The first was a structured interview sheet to evaluate patients' knowledge. The second was a clinical checklist to evaluate patients' practices. The third was health instructions program. Tools were developed by the researchers based on a thorough review of related literature and a full understanding of the needs of haemophilic adolescents. Evaluation of health instructions success was based on comparing scores of tool I and tool II before health instructions (pretest) and after health instructions immediately (posttest) and after 2 months (follow-up test).


RESULTS
There was a significant improvement in knowledge and practices of haemophilia A adolescents in posttest and follow-up test compared to pretest.


CONCLUSIONS
Health instructions have an impact on improving knowledge and practices of haemophilia A adolescents.
Department of Pediatric Nursing, Faculty of Nursing, Zagazig University, Zagazig, Egypt.
A M
AM
El Dakhakhny
M A
MA
Hesham
T H
TH
Hassan
S
S
El Awady
M M
MM
Hanfy
D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D006266:Health Education; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006467:Hemophilia A / Q000628:therapy; D006801:Humans
adolescents; haemophilia; health; instructions; knowledge; practices