Self-care ability assessment in hemodialysis patients

This study, which is descriptive and cross-sectional in nature, aims to assess self-care ability of patients with chronic renal failure who receive hemodialysis treatment. The study was conducted at Çukurova University Medical Faculty Balcalı Hospital Hemodialysis Unit and Private Koç Dialysis Center. Target population of the study was 190 patients who were treated in these two centers between March and May, 2016. All the population was included in the study, and the study was completed with 151 patients who accepted to participate. The participants' consent and required permissions and ethical committee approval were obtainedfrom the institutions. The data were collected using "Self-Care Agency Scale", and "Personal Information Form" developed by the researcher. Tukey and Tamhane Mann-Whitney U Test, Kruskal-Wallis H Test, ANOVA test, and t-test were used in the analysis of the data. The participants' average Self-Care Agency Scale score was found 89,31±24,64. Results of this study indicate that while variables such as age, level of education, the people one lives with, place of living, social health insurance, economic situation, and having education about illness affected the self-care ability (p<0,05); variables such as gender, marital status, occupation, reason for working, duration of dialysis, vascular access for haemodialysis, time to get diagnosis of chronic renal failure, having additional chronic disease, and meeting daily needs were found not to affect the self-care ability (p>0,05). Results of this study suggest that nurses should consider variables such as age, education level, the people patients live with, social security, and economic situation; they should enhance patients' transportation problems in order to eliminate any inequalities caused by place of living; and awareness of nurses should be raised in order to provide patients with education about their disease.