Qom University of Medical Sciences Journal

Background and objectives: The number of hemodialysis patients has been increasing in
recent years. Accumulation of metabolic waste products due to nonobservance of the proper
diet is one of the mechanisms that threatens the health of these patients. In this study, the
effects of lecture and handbook education methods have been evaluated on changes of body
weight, serum sodium, potassium, blood urea nitrogen, creatinine and phosphorus in
hemodialysis patients.
Methods: In this clinical trial study, 113 hemodialysis patients were divided into three groups
including control, lecture education, and handbook education groups. The indices were
measured monthly, starting 3 months before and continuing for 3 months after the
intervention. A comparison was made between the mean of each index measured before and
after the intervention, using One-way ANOVA, followed by the Tukey’s post-hoc test.
Results: Except sodium concentration, all other indices showed a significant reduction in both
lecture and handbook education groups in comparison with controls (P <0.05). Although, in
lecture education group the reduction of indices was higher than handbook education group,
the reduction was not significant except for the serum blood urea nitrogen.
Conclusion: Education can effectively help hemodialysis patients to reduce their weight and
serum indices and it seems that education by lecture is more effective than by handbook.