Effect of Nursing Intervention on Health profile and Symptoms among Patients with Liver Cirrhosis

Abstract

Background: Liver cirrhosis is characterized by poor life expectancy and is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality. It carries the risk of life-threatening complications, partly due to a number of co-morbidities. Purpose: to examine effect of a designed nursing intervention on health profile and symptoms among studied patients with liver cirrhosis. Design: A quasi-experimental research design was carried out .It conducted in outpatient clinic in Hepatology Department, National Liver Institute, Menoufia University, Egypt. A purposive sample of 80 patients with liver cirrhosis was included. Three instruments were used, a structured interviewing questionnaire including sociodemographic data and medical data, Duke Health Profile Index and Chronic Liver Disease Questionnaire. Results: There was a highly significant improvement in most of the different health score scales post intervention. After nursing intervention a significant improvement in the different symptoms of liver cirrhosis than that of the pre intervention was revealed. Conclusion: implementing of nursing intervention has a significant role in improving health profile and symptoms among studied patients with liver cirrhosis. Recommendations: Increase awareness to the public through T.V and mass media about definition, causes and symptoms of liver cirrhosis and encourage people to modifying their behaviors for acquiring healthy life styles.