The effects of a cognitive behavioural therapy programme for self-care on haemodialysis patients

Abstract

A nurse-delivered haemodialysis patient education programme incorporating cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) was developed. The effects of the CBT programme were compared with those of a standard patient education (SPE) programme on patients' salt intake and weight gain using a quasi-experimental design. There were 22 participants (11 CBT, 11 SPE) undergoing outpatient haemodialysis therapy at one clinic. Daily weight gain rates decreased in the intervention period compared with the baseline period in both the CBT and SPE groups. This effect lasted for 12 weeks in the CBT group but for only eight weeks in the SPE group. In addition, daily salt intake decreased in the intervention period compared with the baseline period in both the CBT and SPE groups, persisting for 12 weeks. From these results, both programmes were shown to be effective, but CBT had a longer effect.