RESUMO
OBJECTIVE: To determine the prevalence of depression and the quality of life in hemodialysis patients and patients with chronic medical illnesses (CMIs) in the Bahamas. DESIGN AND METHODS: This study used a cross-sectional design with consecutive sampling. Data about sociodemographic characteristics, depression, and quality of life were collected using a sociodemographic questionnaire, the Beck Depression Inventory BDI-II, and the Short Form36 (SF 36) respectively. Data were analyzed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS). RESULT: 305 individuals (CMI: 106; Dialysis: 199) participated, 22 refused; 50.2% were males, 49.8% were female; mean age was 53.44 (ñ14.44); 45.9% were married; and 32.8% were unemployed for more than 2 years. The prevalence of depression was 43.7% for dialysis patients and 36.8% for CMI patients. Age of patients was associated with marital status, occupational status, ethnicity, and educational level. Hemodialysis patients were shown to have a lower quality of life than CMI patients. Linear regression analysis found that eight quality of life items were statistically significant predictor factors of the Beck score for the CMI and dialysis groups, and accounted for 45.5% of the variance. CONCLUSION: Although, these results did not necessarily demonstrate causality, patients receiving hemodialysis were as likely to be depressed as patients with chronic medical illness. Having to be on hemodialysis detracts significantly from patients quality of life.