Sociological factors and health related quality of life to in hemodialysis patients

Objective: To evaluate the influence of sociological factors on the perceived health related quality of life among hemodialysis patients in our unit. Methodology: Prospective, descriptive and crosssectional study in hemodialysis patients who had been at least 3 months on chronic treatment. EuroQol-5D was used as a measuring instrument. As sociological dependent variables were studied: age, sex, marital status, cohabitation, educational level and monthly income. Results: Forty-seven patients were studied: 67% men, mean age 62 ± 15 years. Sixty-three percent suffered some type of moderated pain / discomfort, and 49% were anxious / depressed to varying degrees. Neither sex nor educational level correlated with any parameter of the EuroQol-5D. Married people had worse scores in terms of VAS (p = 0.012), anxiety / depression (p = 0.002) and perceived health status in the past year (p = 0.016). Those who lived alone had better scores on the VAS (p = 0.062) and less pain / discomfort (p = 0.075). Income level was inversely correlated with personal hygiene problems (p = 0.016). Patients over 65 years had poorer perception of health status that patients under 65 years (p = 0.006). Conclusions: Nearly 70% of patients have pain / discomfort, and nearly half are anxious or depressed. Sociological variables that influence the quality of life related to health in hemodialysis patients are age, cohabitation, marital status and income level (AU)