Introduction and Purpose: Thalassemia major is a chronic disease with detrimental effects of individuals, families and healthcare centers. Effective coping styles decrease the negative effects of stress and improve the ability to manage environmental and internal stressors and adoption of these behaviors. The present study intended to investigate the effect of implementation of nursing interventions on social support maintenance, self-esteem and mental stability in the families of children with thalassemia major in Thalassemia Center of Mohammad Kermanshahi Hospital in Kermanshah, Iran in 2014.
Materials and Methods: This study was a quasi-experiment. The statistical population comprised 240 families of children with thalassemia major visiting the thalassemia center of Dr. Mohammad Kermanshahi Hospital in Kermanshah, Iran, amongst which 38 parents of children with thalassemia major was selected based on convenience sampling method who were randomly assigned to two case (n=19) and control (n=19) groups. The 45-item CHIP (Coping Health Inventory for Parents) was used as a pre-intervention and post-intervention questionnaire for parents. The present study utilized the subscale of social support maintenance, self-esteem and mental stability. It is worth noting that the validity and reliability of the questionnaire was confirmed. Data analysis was performed in SPSS22 at %5 error level using frequency distribution, mean and standard deviation indices, Pearson and Spearman correlation coefficients, paired t-test, and Mann-Whitney and Kruskal-Wallis tests. Results: The results of the present study indicated that there was a significant relationship between implementation of nursing interventions and increase of social support maintenance in the families of children with thalassemia major (P˂0.05) and the post-intervention scores of social support maintenance increased in the case group. Conclusion: Since inappropriate coping behaviors cause mental and psychological problems in families and their children, the implementation of nursing interventions and individual and group consultations to parents seem absolutely necessary.
