Document Type : Original Article
Authors
1
Assistant Professor of Medical-Surgical Nursing, Faculty of Nursing- Minia University, Egypt.
2
Lecturer of Medical-Surgical Nursing, Faculty of Nursing- Minia University, Egypt.
3
Assistant Professor of Psychiatric and Mental Health Nursing, Faculty of Nursing, Minia University, Egypt
4
Assistance. Prof. of Community Health Nursing, Faculty of Nursing, Minia University, Egypt.
5
Lecturer of Rheumatology, rehabilitation and physical medicine. Faculty of medicine. Minia University
6
Lecturer of Medical-surgical Nursing, Faculty of Nursing- Minia University, Egypt.
Abstract
Background: Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is autoimmune disease that worsens over time leading to severe physical disabilities, and psychological disturbance. Dynamic exercises and warm compresses provide a promise in improving functional capacities and emotional well-being of RA patients. The research aimed to compare the effect of dynamic exercises and warm compresses on rheumatoid arthritis patients’ disabilities and self-efficacy. Research design: Quasi-experimental methods. Research Setting: The research was applied in the main Minia University hospital at Rheumatology as well as Rehabilitation department. Research sample: One hundred twenty-nine patients made up the purposive sample for the study. Patients were equally classified into three groups of different therapies (dynamic exercises, warm compresses, and combined dynamic exercises and warm compresses) with forty-three patients per group. Tools of data collection: involved structured interview questionnaire sheet, Health Assessment Questionnaire-Disability Index, (HAQ-DI) and a Health Assessment Questionnaire -Visual Analogue Pain Scale (HAQ-VAS), Muscle Strength Scale and Self-Efficacy for Managing Chronic Disease Scale. Results: Show significant decrease in the level of disabilities after 16 -weeks of intervention to become 58.1%, 55.8%, and 67.4%, of the study groups respectively with mildly to moderately disability. As well, combined dynamic exercises and warm compresses group had the highest mean score of self-efficacy subscales post 16-week of intervention than both dynamic exercises and warm compresses groups. Conclusion: Combination therapy of dynamic exercises and warm compresses resulted in significant reduced in the functional disabilities and levels of pain, with greater increase in the muscle strength, and self-efficacy than each therapy used alone. Recommendations: Regular program’s training to maintain the nurses in rheumatoid units updated with research-based techniques and an array of interventions for decreasing patients' disabilities and increase his self-efficacy.
Keywords
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