The aim: was to evaluate the effect of home health care program for patients with hepatitis C "virus" and their family members (caregivers) in Kalyubia Governorate.. Design: A quasi-experimental design was used in carrying out this study. Setting the study was conducted at the Medical Outpatients' Clinics of the Benha University Hospital in Benha City and at the HCV patients' homes. The sample of this study included 100 HCV patients and their family members (100) chosen randomly from total (1000). Tools utilized in this study comprised a structured interview questionnaire for the assessment of knowledge, practices, self-care management, and stress symptoms levels inventory of HCV patients and their family members. An observational checklist for home environment assessment and the medical records for history of HCV patients. Results of this study showed a significant positive effect of home health care program on knowledge, practices and self-care management of HCV patients and their family members. There were improvements in HCV patients' and their family members' psychological stress symptoms after conduction of the program. This study concluded that, Hepatitis C virus patients and their family members included in this study had Significant improvement was detected for HCV patient's psychological stress symptoms after the home health care program implementation insufficient knowledge, practices and self-care management about HCV and they were encountered an accompanying emotion of stressful, and psychological feelings. The study recommended that, HCV patients and their families members should be offered continuous refresher home health care program, moreover, promotion and enhancement of the self-care modalities to HCV patients and their family members; written illustrated instructions about disease process, allowed foods, rest and physical activities and follow up should be continued after implementation of the home health care program. |
