The Impact of a Web-based Family-oriented Supportive Education Program in Adherence to Treatment of The Heart Failure Patients after Discharge from Hospital; A Randomized Clinical Trial

Background and purpose: Patient adherence to treatment is considered as an important aspect of treatment. Inadequate adherence to treatment of the heart failure (HF) patients leads to intensification of the disease, high risk of re-hospitalization and death. In this respect, this study was designed and implemented with the aim to determine the effect of a Web-based family-oriented supportive education program in adherence to treatment of the HF patients after discharge from hospital. Methods: This clinical trials study was done on the HF patients and their families after discharge from Chamran Hospital/Isfahan in 2018. Seventy HF patients and their families, who had inclusion criteria for the study were selected and divided, by random allocation, into intervention and control groups. The control group received pre-discharge hospital training in one session, and the treatment group received an educational supportive program in addition to the training session, for one month.  The program included sending educational materials through Soroush Application as well as weekly phone calls following up. The demographic information and the scores regarding adherence to treatment were collected using a questionnaire before, immediately and one month after the intervention and analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics. Results: There was no significant difference between the two groups in terms of demographic information and mean of adherence to treatment before the intervention. However, there were significant differences between treatment and control groups immediately and one month after the intervention of adherence to treatment (P<0.001). Conclusion: The results indicated positive impacts of Web-based family-oriented supportive education program in adherence to treatment of the HF patients after discharge from hospital.