Effects of Applying Continuous Care Model on Quality of Life in Hemodialysis Patients

In patients with a chronic disease such as end stage renal disease, functioning status and quality of life is much lower than general population. The present quasi-experimental study was carried out in order to determine the effects of applying continuous care model on quality of life in Hemodialysis(HD) patients in Hamedan in 2005. Patients & Thirty-eight HD patients selected as before & after groups for the purpose of this research were investigated over the period of six months. Data collection tools included: KDQOL-SFTm(a specific scale for dialysis patients), QOL demographic questionnaire and control check lists. In the first phase of the research(before), orientation stage was performed in control group, and until the end of the period QOL questionnaire and control check lists were completed only. Immediately after this time the researcher started to have some manipulations over the same group that had been considered as case. SPSS software V(13), descriptive statistics, paired t-test and chi-square statistical test were applied to analyze the collected data. Data analysis showed that with paired t-test, there was a significant relationship between applying continuous care model and general dimensions of HD patients’ QOL(P<0.05). Paired t-test also revealed that there was a significant relationship between applying continuous care model and specific dimension of HD patients’ QOL(P<0.05), except work ability dimension(P=0.083). According to these findings, applying CCM causes significant difference in the levels of both dimensions of HD patients’ QOL therefore, applying this caring model can promote HD patients’ quality of life. Furthermore, the research hypothesis that applying continuous care model can’t promote quality of life’s level in hemodialysis patients was rejected, while model effectiveness in these patients was confirmed.