The effect of acceptance and commitment therapy on well-being in dialysis patients

Chronic Kidney Failure (CRF) is an important health problem in which irreversible kidney functions are impaired and one of the renal replacement therapies should be performed in order to sustain life. It is a disease whose prevalence will increase due to familial diseases such as diabetes and hypertension in Turkey and in the world, and the risk of mortality in existing complications is high. For this reason, effective methods and quality of life studies come to the fore in the treatment of the disease. Patients may need many treatment processes, especially hospitalization with many complications related to dialysis, different vascular access, cardiovascular diseases that increase mortality. For this reason, it is a process that impairs the quality of life, requires life change management, requires psychosocial support, and has a substantial amount of anxiety, depression, anxiety disorder, and parasuidal behaviors. Life conditions change completely with chronic kidney failure, which can be seen at almost any age and sometimes over the years and sometimes suddenly. Chronic dialysis treatment is a disease in which the process is uncertain and affected by many stressors. The patient's developmental period, family role and importance, or social benefit gives priority to the struggle for survival with the diagnosis of the disease. Behavior patterns that support medical care and treatment now occur so that life can be sustained. Although the continuity of life requires priority at first glance, the other needs, goals and efforts of the individual are veiled. It is thought that multidisciplinary studies in the psychosocial field should be increased for quality of life in patients. Based on this, it was aimed to measure the effects of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) practices studied in different groups, in the dialysis patient group. Our study the experimental group was formed with 14 adult patients on hemodialysis with random CRF who received treatment in Akdeniz University, Department of Internal Medicine, Department of Nephrology, Hemodialysis Unit. Training and practice, interviews and recordings were carried out with these patients, consisting of 5 sessions, and the effect on their well-being was measured. Demographic data, psychological flexibility and general health questionnaires were applied, and three sessions of acceptance and commitment therapy were performed.