Hemodialysis. Socio-economic impact of hemodialysis on patients undergoing dialysis at DHQ Teaching Hospital Sargodha

ABSTRACT

Chronic renal failure/ End stage renal disease is not only a medical illness but it also has wide ranging effects on the patients and his family. The objective of the study was to evaluate socio-economic impact of hemodialysis on patients undergoing dialysis. DHQ Teaching Hospital, Sargodha. Cross Sectional survey. The study was carried out at our dialysis center. All 60 patients who were on dialysis schedule were included in the study. A structured questionnaire for socioeconomic impact of dialysis was employed to collect the required data. By a third party i.e. a teacher and students of departments of Social Work, University of Sargodha, who were not involved in any part of the patient's management, to avoid Physician bias and free expression by the patients. Data was collected on questionnaire and analyzed. A total of 60 patients were interviewed with male to female ratio of 31. Average age was 45.92 years. Sixty five percent lived in joint family. Majority of the patients had hypertension as the cause of renal failure. HCV was positive in fifty five percent. Eighty percent patients were started on dialysis with a central venous access catheter. Sixty one percent were satisfied by their life. About half the patients had economic stress. Forty one percent said that they have become isolated. Fifty one percent were depressed. Fifteen percent were not satisfied by the quality of medicine provided by NGO. Hemodialysis for ESRD is an expensive endeavor. No government can cope with the ever increasing number of patients with ESRD. Community participation in terms of social groups and financial assistance is an important factor to help this group of ailing population