Last update:
05-Jun-2015

OBJECTIVE To explore the extent of anxiety and depression experienced by patients on hemodialysis.

METHOD The study included 320 patients undergoing routine hemodialysis in dialysis units who completed a specially designed questionnaire which covered socio-demographic and clinical characteristics and included the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS).

RESULTS According to their scores on HADS, 41.3% of the participants had high anxiety levels and 32.2% high levels of depression. Significant correlation was demonstrated between the level of anxiety and gender (p=0.013), the residence (p=0.005), the number of children (p=0.006), the quality of the relations with the medical and nursing staff and other patients (p<0.001), difficulty in relationships within the family and social environment (p<0.001), concealment of the problem from the community (p<0.001) and the provision of home assistance for everyday life activities (p<0.001). Factors found to influence the levels of depression were age (p=0.028), educational level (p=0.018), place of residence (p<0.001), the years since the onset of the health problem (p=0.03), adherence to treatment guidelines (p=0.001), adherence to the proposed diet (p<0.001), the relation with the medical and nursing staff and other patients (p<0.001), difficulties in relationships within the family and the community (p<0.001), provision of help at home (p<0.001), and concealment of the health problem from the community (p<0.001).

CONCLUSIONS A variety of socio-demographic and clinical characteristics are closely related to the anxiety and depression experienced by patients undergoing hemodialysis.

Key words: Anxiety, Depression, Hemodialysis.