Effects of a learning enhancement program on knowledge, self-care behavior, blood coagulation levels, and abnormal bleeding among patients receiving warfarin at Mae Lao hospital, Chiang Rai province

Abstract

Warfarin is a high-risk anticoagulant. Patients receiving warfarin need to be controlled keep blood coagulation levels within the target range to prevent complications from receiving medicine. The research was a quasi-experiment design, two groups measured before and after the experiment. The objective was to examine the effects of the learning enhancement program on knowledge, self-care behaviors, blood coagulation levels, and abnormal bleeding in patients receiving warfarin. The sample consisted of 52 patients aged 18 years and over receiving treatment at Mae Lao Hospital. They were divided into an experimental group of 26 and a control group of 26. Simple random sampling with math pair was conducted to ensure similarity between the two groups. The control group received standard care, while the experimental group underwent a six-week learning enhancement program. Data were collected using a knowledge assessment form, self-care behavior assessment in warfarin use, and an abnormal bleeding questionnaire. The reliability coefficients for knowledge and behavior assessment instruments were 1.00 and 0.67-1.00, respectively, with Cronbach's alpha coefficients of 0.80 and 0.78, respectively. The study revealed that after participating in the program, the experimental group significantly increased mean scores in knowledge, self-care behaviors regarding warfarin use, and blood coagulation levels within the target range (p< 0.001, p<0.000, p=0.000, respectively), and higher than the control group (p=0.038, p<0.001, p=0.026, respectively). There was no significant difference in abnormal bleeding between the experimental and control groups. These findings demonstrate that the learning program enhances knowledge and self-care behaviors among patients receiving warfarin. Therefore, it should be continously used.