Relationship between fatigue and social support in hemodialysis patients

The aim of this study was to evaluate the relationship between fatigue and social support in hemodialysis patients in Turkey. This study was conducted on 73 patients receiving hemodialysis treatment in a hemodialysis unit in the province of Malatya between July and November 2011. A questionnaire consisting of 16 questions for sociodemographic and disease data was used together with the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (MSPSS) and the Fatigue Severity Scale (FSS). In statistical evaluation, the Mann-Whitney U-test, independent t-test, Kruskal-Wallis test, and Pearson's correlation analysis were used. Correlation analysis between severity of fatigue in hemodialysis patients and social support revealed a significant relationship in the negative direction between fatigue severity and support from family (r = -0.404, P < 0.05), support from friends (r = -0.635, P < 0.05), support from a special person (r = -0.638, P < 0.05) and overall support (r = -0.643, P < 0.05). Patients with severe fatigue had low mean scores for support from family, friends, a special person and overall, whereas a high level of social support decreased the level of fatigue. When giving care to patients on hemodialysis, nurses should consider the effect of social support on fatigue and approach their patients from this perspective.