Effect of Family-centered Empowerment Model on Quality of Life of Patients with Hypertension

Background: Nowadays, the high prevalence of hypertension and its serious complications for affected patients have made this disease a major health issue worldwide. Hypertension, like other chronic diseases, reduces the patients’ quality of life. Maintaining and improving their lifestyles requires the serious support of families. Objectives: This study aimed to explore the effect of the family-centered empowerment model on the quality of life of patients with hypertension. Methods: This clinical trial was performed on 70 hypertensive patients who were referred to two comprehensive health centers in Zahedan University of Medical Sciences in Zahedan, southeastern Iran, in 2020. The participants were selected and randomly allocated based on the inclusion criteria to the intervention (n = 35) and control (n = 35) groups using the consort. The participants in the intervention group received training in four 60-min sessions individually based on the family empowerment model. To collect data, a personal information form and the Quality of Life Questionnaire for hypertensive patients were used. The questionnaire was completed before the intervention and one and three months after the intervention by a self-report method. The collected data were analyzed by SPSS-22 using the independent samples t test, chi-square test, and repeated-measures analysis of variance. Results: The results of repeated-measures analysis of variance regarding the effect of time and group on the quality of life showed a statistically significant difference in the second and third phases between the two groups. In other words, the two variables of intervention and time affected the mean score of quality of life, and a statistically significant difference was observed in the measured time intervals (P < 0.001). Conclusions: This study showed that implementing the family-centered empowerment model improves the quality of life of patients with hypertension. Therefore, we recommend employing this method by nurses to engage the patients with chronic diseases and their families in the process of treatment.