Effect of Empowerment-Based Nursing Program on Knowledge and Self-Efficacy among Patients with Multiple Sclerosis

Abstract

Background: Multiple sclerosis is a long-term neurodegenerative disorder. Empowerment-based nursing interventions are considered an essential approach in chronic disease management, which effectively enhances patients’ knowledge and self-efficacy. Objectives: To evaluate the effect of an empowerment-based nursing program on knowledge and self-efficacy among patients with multiple sclerosis. Methods: A study-control quasi-experimental research design was used for conducting the study with a purposive sample of 102 patients obtained from the multiple sclerosis unit and neurological ward at Assiut University Hospitals, utilizing two tools: the patient's assessment sheet and the Multiple Sclerosis Self-Efficacy Scale. Results: Regarding age distribution, 51.0% of patients in the intervention group and 60.8% in the control group were aged between 30 and less than 40 years. The majority of patients in both groups presented with a relapsing–remitting disease pattern (82.4% in the intervention group and 94.1% in the control group). Following the implementation of the empowerment-based nursing program, 90.2% of patients in the study group demonstrated a satisfactory level of knowledge, while 31.4% exhibited a high level of self-efficacy. Conclusion: There were statistically significant differences in knowledge and self-efficacy between the study and control groups post application of the empowerment-based nursing program. Recommendation: Patients with multiple sclerosis should receive ongoing empowerment-based nursing programs, and healthcare institutions should integrate such programs into routine care.