Evaluation of Mental Health and Hope in Dialysis Patients

Chronic kidney failure causes many limitations for patients. Despite the effectiveness of hemodialysis, this method causes mental problems and frustration in patients. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the mental health and hope status of dialysis patients referred to teaching hospitals of Isfahan University of Medical Sciences in 2017.

This is a descriptive cross-sectional study conducted at Nour and Hazrat Ali Asghar, al-Zahra, Amin, and Farabi hospitals. One hundred thirty-five dialysis patients were selected based on inclusion criteria. Demographic, mental health (SCL 90-R), and Snyder Hope Scale (SHS) questionnaires were used. Data analysis was performed using SPSS-v22 software.

The mean of mental health was 162.35, and the mean of hopefulness was 39.04. Based on the results of one-way ANOVA and Tukey's post hoc test, the mental health status of patients who undergo dialysis 1 times a week and those who had less history of dialysis were significantly better than others (P < 0.05). Also, the mean hope of single patients was significantly higher than other patients (P < 0.05).

The findings of the study indicate an unacceptable level of mental health and hope among hemodialysis patients. The importance of these components in terms of quality of life and the degree of compliance of patients with the therapeutic orders makes it necessary to design and implement effective interventions in this regard.