Self-management behavior and health-related quality of life in Chinese hemodialysis patients

Aiping WANG; Jinping MA

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND:

It has been shown that patients managed with hemodialysis experience decrease of quality of life. But there are a few reports about the relationship between the self-management behavior such as dietary behavior, taking medicine, management behavior of physical sign etc and health-related quality of life (HRQOL) in hemodialysis patients.

OBJECTIVE:

To study the relationship between self-management behavior and HRQOL in Chinese hemodialysis patients,especially potential association of self-management behavior variables with indicators of HRQOL in order to improve their quality of life (QOL).

DESIGN:

Sampling investigation based on hemodialysis patients.

SETTING:

Nursing department and dialysis center in a university hospital.

PARTICIPANTS:

This research was completed in the Nursing Department of First Hospital Affiliated to China Medical University. Totally 120hemodialysis patients,63 males and 57 females,aged 19 -79 years old with the mean age of(52 ± 12),were selected from the First and Second Hospital Affiliated to China Medical University,the First Affiliated Hospital of Dalian Medical University,the Central and the Second Hospital of Shenyang Medical College,from July to September 2003. Inclusion criteria Patients above 18years old,dialysis history more than 3 months with twice or three times every week,understanding the questionnaires and being volunteers. Exclusion criteria Patients with acute disease and mental disorder.

METHODS:

Self-administered questionnaire was used to measure self-management behavior and short-form 36 health survey(SF-36) was used to measure HRQOL of patients with hemodialysis. Correlation and multivariate regression analysis were used to test the relationship between self-management behavior and HRQOL.MAIN OUTCOME

MEASURES:

Self-management behavior and HRQOL.

RESULTS:

Totally 107 questionnaires were available. Multivariate regression analysis indicated that management of physical,psychosocial activity was the significant factor of.physical component summary(regression coefficient = 2.709,R2 =0. 150,P<0.01),and management of physical sign,psychosocial behavior was the significant factor of mental component summary(regressioncoefficient=1.126,R2=0.041,P<0.05).

CONCLUSION:

Improving hemodialysis patients' management of physical,psychosocial activity and management of physical sign could help hemodialysis patients to raise their HRQOL.