Effects of self-management education on COVID-19 prevention in patients undergoing hemodialysis

To develop self-management education for preventing coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in patients on hemodialysis and to verify its effects.

During the current pandemic, studies on various areas, such as infection control in dialysis units, infection rates, clinical characteristics, treatment progress, and the emotional and psychological states of dialysis patients, have been actively reported. However, experimental research verifying the effects of interventions on infection prevention in hemodialysis patients is very rare.

This study included 34 patients on hemodialysis in a South Korean general hospital (18 in the experimental group and 16 in the control group). Data were collected from September to October 2021. The experimental group was provided with self-care behavior for infection prevention education for 8 weeks, and the control group was provided with usual nursing care.

The patients on hemodialysis showed moderate fear of COVID-19, good compliance with patient role behavior and self-management efficacy, and poor handwashing practice. After the intervention, there were no significant differences concerning fear of COVID-19, compliance with patient role behavior, and self-management efficacy between the experimental and control groups. However, confidence in handwashing (subjective norm) and proper handwashing practice improved significantly in the experimental group compared with the control group.

The infection prevention education developed in this study positively affected confidence in handwashing and proper handwashing practice in patients undergoing hemodialysis. This intervention can be used in various clinical settings where care is provided for patients with chronic illness, including those on hemodialysis.