Effect of care plan based on Roy adaptation model on physiological adaptation in patients with thalassemia major

Background: Patients with thalassemia major are faced with many physical and physiological problems, reducing the adaptation level of this population. Given the fact that the use of nursing theories, especially the adaptation model developed by Roy, play an effective role in turning incompatible behaviors into adaptive ones, this study aimed to determine the effect of Roy adaptation model on physiological adaptation in patients with thalassemia major.

Methods: This quasi-experimental study was conducted on 80 patients with thalassemia major, who referred to one of the hospitals of Zahedan, Iran, in 2015. The study population was selected through convenience sampling technique, and then randomly assigned into the intervention and control groups. The intervention group was subjected to three 60-minute sessions of care plan based on Roy adaptation model. Data collection was carried out using demographic characteristic form and Roy adaptation model assessment form before and two months after the intervention. The data were analyzed in SPSS software (version 22) using Chi-square test, as well as independent and paired t-tests.

Results: According to the results, the mean scores of physiological adaptation in the intervention and control groups were 89.53±13.8 and 88.73±13.4, respectively, before the intervention. However, these mean scores increased to 100.1±15.2 and changed to 88.68±12.6 in the intervention (P<0.001) and control (P=0.79) groups after the intervention, respectively. There was a significant difference between the study groups in terms of the mean adaptation score (P=0.001).

Conclusion: As the findings of this study indicated, the care plan based on Roy adaptation model could promote the level of physiological adaptation of patients. Therefore, this model can be used to improve the physiological adaptation of the patients with thalassemia major.