Depression in hemodialysis patients.

Area of Science:

• Nephrology
• Psychiatry
• Quality of Life Research

Background:

• Depression is a frequent complication in haemodialysis (HD) patients, negatively affecting their Quality of Life (QoL).
• Understanding the prevalence of depression and its associated factors in HD patients is crucial for improving patient care.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the prevalence of depression in haemodialysis patients.
• To examine the relationship between depression and Quality of Life (QoL).
• To explore the influence of sociodemographic factors on depression and QoL in HD patients.

Main Methods:

• A study involving 200 haemodialysis patients from a clinic in Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina.
• Utilized the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) and the SF-36 health survey for data collection.
• Analyzed sociodemographic data, including age, gender, marital status, employment, education, and HD shift.

Main Results:

• 51% of patients exhibited depression (BDI>11), with somatic symptoms being most prominent.
• 55.5% of patients reported below-average Quality of Life (QoL).
• Increased age, unemployment, and being in the 1st HD shift were associated with higher depression and lower QoL (p<0.05); higher education correlated with lower depression and better QoL (p<0.05).

Conclusions:

• A high prevalence of depressive symptoms exists among haemodialysis patients.
• Depression is significantly linked to a poorer Quality of Life (QoL) in this population.
• Age, employment status, education level, and HD shift are important factors influencing depression and QoL in HD patients.