THE PREDICTIVE POWER OF TREATMENT ADHERENCE ON QUALITY OF LIFE IN PATIENTS WITH END-STAGE RENAL DISEASE UNDERGOING HEMODIALYSIS AT TEACHING HOSPITALS IN URMIA IN 2023

Hemodialysis is an alternative method for treatment of renal failure. One of the most critical problems reported in dialysis patients is their low Treatment Adherence (TA). This study aimed to determine the predictive power of TA on Quality of Life (QoL) in the patients referred to Urmia teaching hospitals in 2023.

The present research is descriptive-correlational involving 200 eligible dialysis patients. Data were collected using a demographic information questionnaire, the End-Stage Renal Disease - Adherence Questionnaire (ESRD_AQ), and the Kidney Disease Quality Of Life - Short Form (KDQOL-SF). The data were analyzed using SPSS software version 22.0, employing both descriptive and inferential statistics, including t-tests, one-way analysis of variance, Pearson's correlation coefficient, and linear regression.

The mean and standard deviation of TA and QoL for the patients were 939.37 ± 122.58 (from the range of 0-1200) and 53.06 ± 4.46 (from the range of 0-100), respectively. The results of correlation tests showed that TA has a statistically significant positive correlation with QoL (r = 0.165 and p = 0.041). Linear regression results show that TA significantly impacts QoL and can be used to predict it.

The results indicated a moderate level of TA and QoL in the studied patients. Additionally, the QoL of these patients is linked to their level of TA. Therefore, improving QoL may be possible by managing the factors that affect TA through education and counseling. This approach could also help reduce disease complications, alleviate challenges these individuals face, lower the costs associated with hospitalization, and ease the financial and human burden on the healthcare system.