Hemodialysis Patients' Information and Associated Characteristics.

INTRODUCTION

of this study was to explore characteristics associated with hemodialysis patients' degree of information.

MATERIAL AND

METHODS

The sample of the study included 650 patients undergoing hemodialysis. For data collection a questionnaire specially designed for the needs of the research was used. More specifically, socio-demographic, clinical and other patients' characteristics were associated with the degree of information as it was reported by patients.

RESULTS

of the 650 participants, 55.4% was men while 58.6% of the sample was aged over 60 years. Regarding information level, results showed that only 9.8% was "little" or "not all" informed about their health problem, 61,7% was "enough" informed whereas 28.5% were "very" informed. Statistically significant association was observed between degree of information and age (p=<0.001), family status (p=0.005), education (p=0.001), job (p=0.005) and number of children (p=0.019). In terms of clinical characteristics, statistically significant association was observed between the degree of information and whether patients had other disease or not (p=0.037), whether patients reported adherence to treatment guidelines (p=<0.001). Finally, statistically significant association was observed between the degree of information and relations with nursing staff (p=<0.001), doctors (p=0.007) and other patients (p=0.003), and whether patients faced difficulties in social (p=0.001) and family environment (p=0.002).

CONCLUSION

Health professionals when planning information interventions for orienting hemodialysis patients is increasingly important to evaluate socio-demographic, clinical and other patients ' characteristics and incorporate them in their project.