Quality of life and satisfaction with care among patients undergoing Dialysis treatment

Abstract

Quality of life (QOL) has become increasingly important as an outcome measure in the evaluation of dialysis treatments. This cross sectional study was performed to assess the QOL of patients undergoing dialysis treatment and asscoiated factors while focusing satisfaction on care. Interveiwer administered questionnaire was administered among 80 patients at Dialysis Unit, Teaching Hospital Karapitiya. Mean (SD) age was 48 years (11.50), 70% was male and 87.5% had undergone hemodialysis. Mean (SD) scores for physical, psychological, social and environmental domains were 43.04 (14.55), 52.14 (15.75), 59.06 (10.62) and 66.88 (5.76) respectively. Gender, marital status and type of dialysis were not signifcantly associated (p>0.05) with the QOL of dialysis patients. There was a significant difference between educational levels and average scores of physical domain (p=0.03), social domain (p=0.02) and environmental domain (p=0.002) except psychological domain (p=0.07). There was a significant difference between monthly income and psychological domain (p=0.01), social domain (p=0.001) and environmental domain (p=0.001). Such difference of QOL was not observed among different age groups except social domain(p=0.02). The particpants’ satisfaction on health care services and family support was had at a higher grade (98.8% with health care services, 91.3% with the family support). Current study revealed that dialysis treatment directly affected the QOL mainly on physical and psychological domains and non modifiable factors such as age, level of education and monthly income were significantly affected their QOL. The support provided by the health care team and family members is greater for them during the treatment process. Dialysis treatment is significantly affetected to the QOL of patients although they have family support and health care services at optimum level. Therefore,the enhancement of QOL of dialysis patients should be focused on palliative care including both physical and psychological aspects as there is no such effect on modifying the sociodemographic status.