Evaluating the Self-Care Ability and Quality of Life in Hemodialysis Patients

OBJECTIVE: This study was undertaken to determine the factors affecting self-care ability in hemodialysis patients and to assess the relationship between self-care ability and quality of life.

MATERIAL and METHODS: The descriptive study was carried out at four hemodialysis centers between 01.11.2015 and 18.03.2016. A total of 149 hemodialysis conforming to the criteria for the research sample were determined. The data were collected using the Descriptive Features Information Form, Self-Care Ability Scale and the MOS 36 item Short Form Health Survey SF-36.

RESULTS: It was determined that hemodialysis patients had a moderate score on the self-care ability scale and some sociodemographic features influenced self-care ability. Furthermore, a statistically significant and positive correlation was found between the self-care ability and the quality of life of the patients (p<0.05).

CONCLUSION: These results show that improvement in self-care ability increases quality of life in hemodialysis patients. It can therefore be recommended to provide in-service training to hemodialysis nurses about the factors that affect the self-care ability of patients and to support the application of this training in nursing practice.