Original Research Article
Year: 2017 | Month: September | Volume: 7 | Issue: 9 | Pages: 150-158
Is Quality of Life of Hemodialysis Patients Affected by Fatigue?
Ζyga Sofia1, Deli Magdalini2, Fradelos Evangelos1, Lavdaniti Maria3, Tsougia Panagiota4, Tarazi Iosif5, Alikari Victoria1
1Nursing Research and Practice Laboratory, Department of Nursing, University of Peloponnese, Greece
2Post Graduate Program Health Services Administration and Crisis Management, Department of Nursing, University of Peloponnese, Greece
3Department of Nursing, Alexander Technological Institute of Thessaloniki, Greece
4“P. & A. Kyriakou” Children Hospital of Athens, Greece,
5“Doctors’ Hospital”, Athens, Greece
Corresponding Author: Alikari Victoria
ABSTRACT
Background: Patients undergoing hemodialysis are characterized by high levels of fatigue and low levels of quality of life. Patient's personal characteristics play, also, an important role.
Aim: To explore the relationship between fatigue, quality of life and the demographic characteristics of patients.
Method: The sample of the study consisted of 149 patients undergoing hemodialysis in public and private Hemodialysis Units. The tools used were the Missoula - VITAS Quality of Life Index -15 (MVQOLI -15) and the Fatigue Assessment Scale. At the same time, some questions about the demographic profile of patients were posed.
Results: The results of the study did not show particularly high levels of fatigue, as the mean score of total fatigue was 25.97 (±6.105). Fatigue is not related to gender, age and years of treatment of patients, but it is related to years of diagnosis, educational level, occupational status and marital status. The quality of life of patients was characterized as good. Ages is positively related to the dimension of functionality and negatively to the dimension of spirituality, while those with a low educational level, as well as males, had a low level of quality of life. Further, a negative correlation was found between fatigue and the quality of life of hemodialysis patients.
Conclusions: The findings of this research contradict the results of previous research, which means that other factors may have a positive effect on patients, such as the interpersonal relationships, while the factors of income and environment should also be explored.
Key words: quality of life, fatigue, hemodialysis