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Perceived Disease Burden and Social Support Among Adults on Hemodialysis in Northern Colombia: A Cross-Sectional

Yolima Judith Llorente Pérez1, Jorge Luis Herrera Herrera1, Edinson Oyola López2

  • 1Department of Nursing, University of Córdoba, Montería 230001, Colombia.

Nursing Reports (Pavia, Italy)
|July 27, 2026
PubMed

Insights

Patients on hemodialysis experience significant disease burden, mainly from physical distress. While social support is moderate, longer dialysis duration correlates with increased burden, highlighting a need for targeted interventions.

Area of Science:

  • Nephrology
  • Psychosocial Medicine
  • Public Health

Background:

  • Chronic kidney disease (CKD) and hemodialysis significantly impact patients' quality of life.
  • Social and clinical factors influence perceived disease burden and social support, affecting adherence and well-being.
  • Understanding these relationships is crucial for improving patient outcomes in hemodialysis populations.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the relationship between perceived disease burden and social support in adults undergoing hemodialysis.
  • To identify key factors contributing to disease burden among hemodialysis patients in northern Colombia.

Main Methods:

  • A cross-sectional study involving 183 adult hemodialysis patients in northern Colombia.
  • Disease burden assessed using the GCPC-UN instrument; social support measured by the Medical Outcomes Study Social Support Survey (MOS-SSS).
  • Statistical analysis included descriptive statistics, nonparametric tests, Spearman's correlation, and multivariate linear regression.

Main Results:

  • The average disease burden score was 45.72, with physical distress being the most significant contributor.
  • Functional social support was moderate (median: 72).
  • A longer duration on hemodialysis was associated with a higher perceived disease burden (p=0.04). A weak inverse correlation between social support and disease burden was observed but not significant in the multivariable model.

Conclusions:

  • Patients on hemodialysis experience substantial disease burden, primarily driven by physical distress.
  • A longer time on hemodialysis is linked to an increased perception of disease burden.
  • While social support is moderate, its association with disease burden requires further investigation, especially in multivariate analyses.

Keywords:
chronic kidney diseasecost of illnesscross-sectional studiesnursingrenal dialysissocial support

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