The effect of massage on fatigue in hemodialysis patients

This research has been made on the hemodialysis patients to review the effects of the massage on the tirednessResearch has been made between the dates of October 2007-January 2008 in the Ege University Hemodialysis Unit and in the Special Nephrology Dialyses Centre; on the 60 patients, 30 of whom were included in the control group, and the other 30 in the experiment group, forming the sample of this research which followed pre-determined measuresIn the data collection method of this research descriptive information about the hemodialysis patients ( Add-1) and Piper Tiredness Scale in order to determine the tiredness level of the patients (Add-4) have been usedIn the evaluation of the data, percentage, one-way (ANOVA) and in the multiple ways variance analysis (manowa) t-test have been applied. By giving questionarries to the patients in the experiment group in the first interview, and their tiredness level have been determined by the Piper Tiredness Scale prior to the dialyses sequence. After the treatment, patients have all been applied back massage. The massage application has been repeated after 3 dialyses sequences in the week. Another tiredness evaluation has been made after the massage application. In the control group; the tiredness level of the patients have been determined both before and after the three dialyses sequences without the massage application with the Piper Tiredness Scale. The tiredness level results obtained by the Piper Tiredness Scale of both the experiment and control groups which have been evaluated by being compared to determine the effects of the massageAccording to our data, the tiredness points of the patients have been increased in the control group after the dialyses, the tiredness points in the experiment group after dialyses has been decreasedIt has also been found that the perception about the gender variability in the control group has affected the tiredness, on the contrary, properties like age group, educational status has not been affected on tiredness levelIt has also been found that the perception about the gender variable in the experiment group has no affected on the tiredness, on the contrary, properties like age group, educational status have affected the tiredness level in control groupProperties related to the illness like the illness period,having another illness, treatment period were among the factors which has no affected on the tiredness levelProperties related to the illness like the illness period, having another illness, treatment period were among the factors which has affected on the tiredness levelHow patients, both in the experiment and control groups, were feeling have found out to be a factor which have no affected on the perceived tirednessThe evaluation of the tiredness levels of the hemodialyses patients and the factors affecting the tiredness, educating the patients and their families in this subject and making initiatives towards the patients? tiredness levels in the hemodialyses units have been advised as a result of this research