Abstract:
The purpose of this research was to identify the factors associated with kidney damage among Thais with lupus nephritis. The sample included 140 Lupus nephritis patients who received medical treatment at Ramathibodi Hospital. Data were collected by using a Personal Data Form, a Disease Flare Record, a Thai Depression Inventory, a Self-Management Questionnaire, and a Clinical Data Form. Data were analyzed by descriptive statistics; t-test and Cohen's d effect size as well as chi-square and Cramer's V effect size. The result indicated that disease duration, depression, disease activity, and self-management are associated with kidney damage in lupus nephritis patients, significantly. Cohen's d indicates that disease activity, depression, and self- management have a moderate effect on kidney damage. Disease activity has the largest effect (Cohen's d = 2.319), followed by self-management (Cohen's d = 1.289), depression (Cohen's d = 1.145), and disease duration (Cohen's d = 1.004) respectively. In terms of self-management, Cohen's d indicates that nutrition and avoiding risk factors had a moderate effect on kidney damage. In particular, nutrition had the largest effect (Cohen's d = 2.496), than avoiding risk factors (Cohen's d = 1.365). According to the study findings, there was an association between disease duration, depression, disease activity, and self-management and kidney damage.