Effect of spiritual counseling based on the sound heart model on depression of hemodialysis patients

Background
Depression, as the most common psychological problem in hemodialysis patients, can be alleviated by spiritual care and belief in God’s mercy and power.

Objectives
The aim of this study was “evaluation of the effect of spiritual care based on the Sound Heart Model on depression in hemodialysis patients”.

Material and methods
This clinical trial study was conducted in 2018 on hemodialysis patients at the Kamkar hospital in Qom. Sampling was done in an accessible form and according to inclusion criteria. Due to the patients’ self-care ability, spiritual care was provided in the supportive-educational system by 12 individual educational sessions, 45–35 minutes long, for patients and families, based on the Sound Heart Algorithm after donating educational booklet. The Goldberg Depression Questionnaire was completed by both control and intervention groups before and after the intervention.

Results
There was no significant difference in mean scores of depression between the intervention and control groups before intervention (p = 0.604). After the intervention, the difference was significant (p = 0.000). There was no statistically significant difference in mean scores of depression in the control group before and after the intervention (p = 0.259), while this difference was significant in the intervention group (p < 0.001).

Conclusions
The Sound Heart Model, with a holistic, community-based approach by creating courage in the face of disease crises, hope, optimism, positive thinking, development of the family’s and patient’s relationship with God, self, people and nature, was able to reduce depression in hemodialysis patients, and thus the use of its strategy is recommended.