Health-Related Quality of Life (HRQoL) in Haemodialysis Patients in Khartoum, Sudan

Abstract

Much research has been conducted in many countries on the Health-Related Quality of Life (HRQoL) of haemodialysis patients, but few have been conducted in Khartoum, Sudan. All studies have shown that patients’ Quality of Life regarding the dimensions of physical, psychological, social, and environmental was affected by the disease. Previous research ignored the impact of religious beliefs on haemodialysis patients. We used the WHOQOL-BREF questionnaire (the English standard version) to collect data from 181 participating patients. Religious beliefs had a significant impact on the overall outcome of the study, and strong social relationships among the Sudanese population (which distinguishes the Sudanese population from other nations) increased the patients’ satisfaction rate with their social relationships. The lack of transport facilities from the patients’ homes to the dialysis center (and vice versa) forced the patients to reduce the number of prescribed sessions. Background: In recent decades, Health-Related Quality of Life (HRQoL) endpoints have proven to be valuable research tools for evaluating the outcomes of therapeutic interventions in chronic diseases. End-stage renal disease (ESRD) is one such chronic disease that leads to a high degree of disability in various aspects of the patient’s life and impairs their quality of life. Objectives: The main objectives of this study were to assess the QoL in haemodialysis patients concerning their physical, psychological, social, and environmental health dimensions, and to assess the effects of age, sex, income, and level of education, in addition, to identify modifiable factors in Khartoum Sudan, associated with Health-Related Quality of Life (HRQoL) among chronic haemodialysis patients. Instrument and Material: A sample of 181 patients was recruited for this study. To collect the data we used the WHOQOL-BREF (the English standard version), a generic health-related questionnaire developed by the WHOQOL group and available in 19 different languagesThe English standard version was recommended by Mrs Sibel Volcan (WHOQOL representative) because it is best suited to Sudan. Scoring and Validation of WHOQOL-BREF Questionnaire: A detailed step-by-step guide to using the WHOQOL-BREF questionnaire was clearly explained to me in a separate document by the WHOQOL representative. Results: Religious beliefs have a significant impact on the overall outcome of the study. No correlation was found between patients’ age, gender, and quality of life. Physical pain prevented 63.5% of the participating patients from doing what they needed to do, 49.2% of the haemodialysis patients had the energy to carry out their daily activities, 71.8 were satisfied with their sleep, 34.3% often had a negative feeling, 83% were satisfied with their sex life, 2.8% do not have a physically healthy environment, 43.3% were dissatisfied with the condition of their living spaces, the transportation was a nightmare for the majority of patients, 84.5% were satisfied with their social relationships and the support they receive from people around them, and .6% of patients have no way at all to meet their daily needs. Discussion: Physical pain prevented 63.5% of patients from doing what they needed to do to some extent, 40.9% were dependent on medical treatments to perform their daily activities, more than half of haemodialysis patients can get around, the lack of important information harms patients and transportation is a nightmare for the majority of participating haemodialysis patients. Conclusion: Inadequate distribution of dialysis centers in Sudan, lack of stable transportation from patients’ homes to dialysis centers (and vice versa), and insufficient information on how to deal with the disease were significantly associated with lower scores for all general and several kidney disease-related HRQoL scores. Key words: HRQOL, Haemodialysis, Sudan