The Effect of Telephone Follow-Up on Quality of Life in Hemodialysis Patients

Abstract

Background: Problems with dialysis cause dramatic changes in these patients. Treatment of dialysis patients without the patient’s participation and self-care activities cannot be effective enough. Objectives: The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of telephone follow-up care on the quality of life of hemodialysis patients. Methods: This clinical trial was performed on 60 hemodialysis patients in Hamedan, in two groups of tests and controls in 2018. Both groups of patients benefited from routine care and training in the ward, and then, in the test group, these patients were followed up by telephone for 6 weeks. The KDQOL-SF (short form) Demographic and Quality of Life questionnaire was used before and after the intervention to collect data. Data analysis was performed using SPSS 16 software using a t-test, paired t-test, and chi-square test. Results: The mean and standard deviation of quality of life in the experimental group changed from 52.33 ± 14.37 to 57.89 ± 12.02 and in the control group from 52.62 ± 13.05 to 41.85 ± 0.23 that indicates there was a significant increase in the quality of life of hemodialysis patients in the experimental group. The results showed that the average difference in quality of life after the intervention in the experimental group in terms of understanding public health (P = 0.002), physical performance (P = 0.002), symptoms and signs of the disease (P < 0.001) area of the disease, (P = 0.012), pain (P < 0.001), social support (P < 0.001 and general health (P < 0.001) were significant. Conclusions: According to the findings of the study, it can be concluded that telephone follow-up care has been effective on the quality of life of hemodialysis patients.