Abstract

Background: Due to the nature of the disease, patients with Thalassemia are prone to depression. Depression reduces individual potential abilities and self-care behaviors. Aim: The aim of this study was to determine the effect of self-care education based on the Orem's model on depression in patients with Thalassemia. Methods: In this clinical trial, 60 patients with Thalassemia presented to Razi Hospital in Saravan, were randomly divided into control and experimental groups. Children's Depression Inventory (CDI) was used for data collection. The experimental group was trained for 5 sessions, while the control group received routine interventions. After one month, the questionnaires were completed, and the data were analyzed using SPSS 23. Results: The results of this study indicated that the mean depression score in the experimental group, which was 33.93 at the beginning of the research, reduced to 30.03 after the intervention. The mean score of depression in the control group before and after the intervention was 32.36 and 32.76, respectively. Comparison of mean depression score in both groups before and after the intervention showed a significant difference (p = 0.015). Conclusion: Self-care education based on the Orem's self-care model had a positive effect on patients' depression. Therefore, it is recommended that nurses consider nursing theories more frequently.