The Effect of the Education Program on the Adherence Intention to the Dietary Sodium Restriction and the Amount of Sodium Intake in Patients With Chronic Heart Failure

Background: High sodium intake can increase the symptoms of patients with chronic heart failure. Objectives: To examine the effect of the education program on the adherence intention to the dietary sodium restriction and sodium intake in patients with chronic heart failure hospitalized in a teaching hospital affiliated with Yazd University of medical sciences, Yazd, Iran from January to July 2016. Methods: This controlled randomized clinical trial was conducted on 100 patients suffering from chronic heart failure. Block randomization was used to assign the patients to the intervention and control groups. In addition to routine education, the patients in the intervention group and one of their family members participated in the education program for 6 consecutive weeks. The amount of sodium intake in a 24-hour period was measured. A urine sample was collected for the measurement of the secondary outcome. A questionnaire was used for data collection about the evaluation of the adherence intention to the dietary sodium restriction. Results: There were statistically significant differences between the intervention (2539.401130.03) and control (3016.80790.38) groups in terms of the sodium intake 6 weeks after the intervention (P = 0.0023). Also, statistically significant differences were reported between these groups (2601.841128.43 and 3041.95789.75 in the intervention and control group, respectively, P = 0.036) 12 weeks after the intervention. Six and 12 weeks after the education program, statistically significant differences were found between the groups in terms of the attitude (P < 0.001), subjective norm toward the restricted-sodium diet (P < 0.001), and perceived behavioral control (P < 0.001). Conclusions: The education program promoted the adherence intention to the dietary sodium restriction among patients with chronic heart failure, which subsequently led to the sodium intake reduction.