Ulcerative colitis (UC) refers to a disease in which the lining of the colon becomes inflamed.
In patients . with ulcerative colitis, the immune system inappropriately targets the lining of the
colon. Most cases (Ire treated at home, which points to the importance of self-care in its
management. This study aim was to determine the effect of an educational program on ulcerative
colitis patients' knowledge and self-care practices. To conduct tit is study a sample of sixty in
patients with ulcerative colitis was selected from the tropical medicine department in Assiut
university hospital. They were divided into two equal study and the control groups. The study group
received an educational program. Data were collected using a patient assessment interview sheet.
Pre-post comparisons of patients' knowledge and practice showed statistically significant
improvements in the study group but not in the control groups, p<O.OOI. The study concluded that
although ulcerative colitis is a chronic condition with no cure, it could be well controlled through
proper patient education. Therefore, it is important for nurses to teach patients about the condition
to enable them to take an active role in own health-care decisions and treatment. The study
recommends implementation of the developed educational program for all patients with ulcerative
colitis.