Depression in Hemodialysis Patients

Depression is the most common psychological problem in patients with End-Stage Renal Disease (ESRD). The present study was conducted to determine the rate of depression in chronic hemodialysis (HD) patients. It was a descriptive cross-sectional study. 120 chronic HD patients who referred to dialysis ward of Shahid Beheshti Medical University (SBMU) hospitals were selected through an available (non-random) sampling and after exclusion of 20 patients due to study’s exclusion criteria, all were assessed for depression, using Beck’s Depression Inventory (BDI). Statistical analyses were preformed by SPSS (rel 11.5) using analysis of variance (ANOVA), independent t-test, Chi- Square and coefficient of correlation. Totally, considering the intensity of depression, 69% of patients were in depression spectrum (BDI>9), but the rate of depression was 45% (BDI >15) among chornic hemodialysis patients. There was no significant difference between the intensity of depression and various parameters, but unemployment associated with higher rate of depression (p=0.018). It seems the screening of HD Patients with BDI followed by referring the depressed patients to a psychiatrist for more evaluation is necessary so that at least some of the suffering, morbidity and mortality of the patients will be diminished.