The Effects of Peer Support Groups on Mental Health of Hemodialysis Patients

Patients treated through hemodialysis experience a great deal of psychological trauma that could lead to a reduction in their quality of life. Peer support groups could offer assistance to patients with similar experiences and thus enhance their quality of life. The aim of the present study is to determine the effects of peer support groups on mental health of patients treated with hemodialysis.
Meterial & A clinical trial research conducted in to hemodialysis patients in Vasei Hospital in Sabzevar in 2013. A total of 64 Patients were divided randomly into two groups of intervention and control using block permutation. Participants in the control group received routine care of hemodialysis ward. The intervention group participated in 8 weekly peer support sessions each lasting 2 hours. Topics discussed at meetings were based on the needs and interest of patients. Research tools were the demographic and mental function part of the Kidney Disease Quality of Life- Short Form questionnaire. For data analysis, SPSS v.18 software and descriptive and analytic methods (paired t-test and independent t-test) were used.
Results show a significant difference between the mental health condition scores of the intervention and control groups (p value The results indicate that participating in the peer support groups will improve the mental health of hemodialysis patients. Therefore, the results of the present study could be useful in nursing education and nursing management and designing the nursing process for taking better care of hemodialysis patients.