Determination of problems experienced during the COVID‐19 pandemic by individuals receiving hemodialysis treatment

Abstract

Background Patients receiving hemodialysis treatment are among the risk groups during the COVID‐19 pandemic. They must cope with many factors simultaneously like anxiety about being ill, social isolation, inadequate information about protective precautions, and the need to attend regular treatment. Objectives This study was performed with the aim of determining problems experienced by individuals receiving hemodialysis treatment during the pandemic. Design This was a descriptive and cross‐sectional type study. Participants The research included 234 patients receiving chronic hemodialysis treatment. Measurements For collection of data in the research, a patient descriptive information form and COVID‐19 phobia scale (CP19‐S) scale were used. Results Patients receiving hemodialysis treatment were determined to have high levels of compliance with individual precautions required during the pandemic. Of patients, 87.6% were determined to experience concern about bringing infection from the dialysis unit to family members. The mean total points for CP19‐S were 59.80 ± 14.49. Patients who were female, had low educational level, were not employed, had heart disease in addition to kidney failure, with hemodialysis age from 6 to 8 years, who did not want to go to the dialysis center and had not received education about the pandemic (p < 0.001) were identified to have high phobia at statistically significant levels. Conclusions Changes occurring in normal life and to hemodialysis treatment during the pandemic cause concern and anxiety in many patients. In this process, providing patients with education about the pandemic and protective methods is very important.

Association between negative psychology and sleep quality in dialysis patients during the COVID‐19 pandemic

“…In this investigation, depression and perceived stress were prominent contributors to poor sleep quality among dialysis patients. In the COVID‐19 outbreak, haemodialysis patients travel between home and healthcare facilities (Yu et al, 2021 ), are at constant risk of contracting the virus, and are under tremendous pressure on their health and their families (Bulbul et al, 2022 ; Lv et al, 2022 ). In addition, loneliness, fear of death, and financial concerns are stressors that lead to anxiety and depression during the COVID‐19 pandemic, and the poor sleep quality caused by such stress is expected (Duru, 2022 ).…”

Impact of COVID-19 Pandemic on Elevated Anxiety Symptoms of Maintenance Hemodialysis Patients in China: A One-Year Follow-Up Study

“…During the early COVID-19 pandemic, many countries implemented nationwide lockdowns in line with containment policies. However, the patients with MHD need to commute between home and a hospital regularly by public transportation, and stay with doctors, nurses or other patients in a shared space for at least 8–12 h per week due to the specificity of the dialysis treatment, which makes the patients cannot help but to face a complex medical and social environment, resulting in an increased concern about the transmission of COVID-19 by medical staff, infection of themselves or their family members and the surrounding environment, and serious reduction in socialization ( 10 ). As susceptible populations of anxiety, under the combined action of above factors, fear and apprehension induced by COVID-19 may aggravate the psychological disorders of the patients with MHD ( 10 , 30 – 33 ), resulting in the aggravation of anxiety symptoms, manifested as shortness of breath, accelerated heart rate, pain, nervousness, and insomnia ( 10 , 30 ).…”

“…Three studies using SAS as diagnostic tools have shown that 34.89%-44.90% of the patients with MHD have elevated anxiety symptoms ( 9 , 38 , 39 ). Several studies investigated that monthly income, education, work situation, medical insurance, dialysis duration, epidemic propaganda, and physical condition are closely associated with the elevated anxiety syndrome ( 9 , 10 ).…”

“…Our research shows that 40% of the patients with MHD exist elevated anxiety symptoms (a SAS score of ≥ 50) in the early COVID-19 pandemic, and the severity of nearly 1/3 is moderate or higher (a SAS score of ≥ 60). The elevated anxiety syndrome of the patients with MHD during the outbreak is inseparable from the severity of the epidemic, the inconvenience and pressure caused by prevention and control management ( 10 , 11 , 14 , 22 ). The strict social isolation measures made it difficult for the patients and their families to travel, which caused increased worry about unaccompanied transfer in patients with MHD.…”