Health-Related Quality of Life in a Sample of Iranian Patients on Hemodialysis

This study evaluated the health-related quality of life(HRQOL) in a sample of Iranian patients undergoing maintenancehemodialysis. The data were compared with the HRQOL for theIranian general population.Materials and Methods. Two-hundred and fifty patients undergoinghemodialysis were included using a convenience sampling approachin a cross-sectional study. Data collection was performed using aPersian translation of the Short Form-36 questionnaire in combinationwith demographic and clinically related questions. The collecteddata were analyzed using a logistic regression model with physicaland mental summary scales as dependent variables.Results. The patients’ mean Short Form-36 scores were significantlylower than those obtained for the general population for all scales.Patients with longer duration of being on hemodialysis, pooradherence to treatment, higher body mass index, and comorbiditydiseases suffered from a poorer physical health. Poor mental healthwas associated with a lower level of education, longer duration ofhemodialysis, lower economic status, a lower degree of knowledgeon disease, and comorbidity diseases.Conclusions. This study affirms the fact that patients undergoinghemodialysis suffer from poor HRQOL. In comparison with datafrom other studies from Asian and European countries, this sample ofIranian patients on hemodialysis had a lower HRQOL, a discrepancythat might be due to differences in life style, socioeconomic status,the general level of education of the patients, as well as physicianpatientcommunication.