Health Related Quality of Life of Maintenance Hemodialysis Patients

The present study was aimed to assess the prevalence of “Selected components of Health Related Quality of Life” (HRQoL) among maintenance hemodialysis patients (MHD) in selected dialysis units of Mumbai and Navi Mumbai. Simple descriptive design using structured interview schedule to collect demographic characteristics and medical characteristics and hemodialysis symptom inventory to assess symptoms/problems were used.Content validity and reliability of the tool were established. Data was collected from 110 MHD patients meeting inclusion criteria after obtaining ethical and administrative approval. The data was analyzed using descriptive statistics.

Sample constituted 60.91% males and 39.09% females and 84.55%of them were married and living with their spouses. Majority of the samples were in the age group of 50–69 years (63.64%) and 31.82% had graduate level education.

The prevalence of selected components of HRQoL among them were: breathing diffi culty 63.64%, excessive thirst and dry mouth 87.27%, loss of taste and appetite 70.91%,constipation 51.82%, body pain 81.82%, cramps during and after dialysis 79.5%,weakness after dialysis 88.18%, disturbed sleep 68.18%,dry skin and itching 69.09%, restricted mobility 92.73% and clotting or problem with access site 27.27%. Out of the 93 samples who were married and living with their spouses, sexual dysfunction reported was 61.3%.