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THE IMPACT OF SOCIOECONOMIC FACTORS ON QUALITY OF LIFE OF PATIENTS WITH CHRONIC KIDNEY DISEASE IN GREECE
Author(s) -
Ikonomou Margarita,
Skapinakis Petros,
Balafa Olga,
Eleftheroudi Marianna,
Damigos Dimitrios,
Siamopoulos Kostas C.
Publication year - 2015
Publication title -
journal of renal care
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.381
H-Index - 27
eISSN - 1755-6686
pISSN - 1755-6678
DOI - 10.1111/jorc.12132
Subject(s) - medicine , marital status , quality of life (healthcare) , socioeconomic status , peritoneal dialysis , dialysis , coping (psychology) , kidney disease , affect (linguistics) , physical therapy , psychiatry , environmental health , population , psychology , nursing , communication
SUMMARY Background Quality of Life (QoL) is often poor in people undergoing dialysis and this sometimes contributes to the high rate of morbidity and mortality. The aim of our study is to assess the QoL of patients on haemodialysis in Greece and discuss the socio‐demographic factors that affect QoL in this period of financial crisis. Design/Patients Patients with CKD not on dialysis, plus those undergoing Haemodialysis (HD) and Peritoneal Dialysis (PD) were invited to complete the SF‐36 questionnaire electronically, supervised by a trained nurse. Patients were asked about their marital status, education level and monthly household income. Additionally, patients were requested to comment on their subjective financial difficulties. Results A total of 172 patients were enrolled in the study, 39 of them were undergoing PD, 90 on HD and 43 had CKD. Among those with CKD, on HD and PD, 9.3%, 17.8% and 23.1%, respectively, had ‘some/a lot’ difficulties in copying with financial problems. The physical component summary score was significant lower in HD, while the summary score of the mental component showed no differences between the groups. In multiple linear regression analysis, age and dialysis had significantly negative correlations with physical functioning scores. Those who were divorced or widowed tended to perform worse in physical scores compared with those who were married. Mental scores were affected only by coping with financial difficulties. Conclusions In general terms, people with CKD patients present with a poor QoL. Apart from the burden of the renal disease per se, social and economic factors (divorce, financial difficulties) seem to aggravate their status, especially in this period of financial crisis.