Abstract:
This study, a quasi-experimental research design, aimed to determine the effect of self-management program on sodium consumption behaviors among heart failure patients. The samples were 48 heart failure patients who were recruited from heart failure clinic of the outpatient department of General Police Hospital. The control group (n=24) and experimental group (n=24) were matched by gender and level of heart failure class. The control group received conventional care while the experimental group attended the four weeks of self-management program, which included 6 steps of core self-management skills. The instruments for collecting data were the behaviors of sodium consumption questionnaire and the behavioral self-management questionnaire was used to monitor the intervention. These instruments were tested for Content validity index by five qualified experts which CVI were at .82 and .87 respectively. Its Cronbachs Alpha Coefficient were at .82 and .85 respectively. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and t-test. The results revealed that; 1. The mean score of sodium consumption behaviors in heart failure patients after attending the self-management program was significantly higher than before attending the program (t=11.66, df=23, p=.000). 2. The mean score of sodium consumption behaviors of the experimental group who attended the self-management program were significantly greater than the control group (t=7.27, df=46, p=.000).