Evaluation of stressors and fatigue in elderly patients undergoing hemodialysis

The number of the elderly with chronic renal failure has increased across the world. Although hemodialysis is the most common and appropriate therapy for the elderly, it involves certain challenges. The aim of this study was to investigate the stressors and fatigue in elderly patients undergoing hemodialysis.

This descriptive cross-sectional study was performed on 60 elderly patients undergoing hemodialysis in two dialysis centers of Babol Shahid Beheshti and Behshahr Imam Khomeini Hospitals in 2018. Sampling was done using available method. Data were collected via demographic questionnaire, brief fatigue inventory and hemodialysis stress scale. Questionnaires were completed by the researcher and finally, data were analyzed by SPSS 19 using descriptive and analytical statistics.

Based on the results, the mean age of participants was 73.43±7.87. The mean score of fatigue in the elderly under hemodialysis was 7.51±1.37 and the mean score of stressors was 81.85 ± 9.31, indicating that there is severe fatigue and stress in the elderly. Among physiological stressors, the frequent and severe arteriovenous perforations as well as fatigue, and among psychosocial stressors, the fluid restriction, physical activity restriction, fear of loneliness and diet restriction were the most frequent stressors in the elderly undergoing hemodialysis. There was a significant relationship between duration of hemodialysis with stressors and fatigue (p<0/05).

The findings can help nurses develop age-appropriate strategies to prevent or reduce stressors and thereby promote optimal well-being of the elderly undergoing hemodialysis, who may spend the rest of their lives on hemodialysis.
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