Self-Care and Its Predictive Factors in Hemodialysis Patients

Factors associated with self-care behavior in patients with chronic kidney disease: a systematic review

BACKGROUND

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a significant global health issue associated with cardiovascular risk, elevated morbidity and mortality rates, reduced quality of life, and high medical costs. Self-care behavior (SCB) is an effective strategy for mitigating the negative impacts of CKD. Identifying factors that influence SCB in CKD patients is essential for improving clinical outcomes. This study analyzes the factors affecting self-care behavior in patients with CKD.

METHODS

A structured search was conducted on PubMed and EBSCO up to June 10th, 2024. This review was not limited by publication year, published in English, and only full-text articles were included.

RESULTS

A total of 510 articles were identified from both databases. After removing 109 duplicates, 401 articles remained. Sixteen articles met the inclusion criteria. The results showed that several factors were associated with SCB, including health literacy (HL), social support, disease knowledge (DK), age, occupation, income, marital status, place of residence, gender, education, comorbidities, smoking habits, body mass index, participation in CKD programs, duration since CKD diagnosis, CKD stage, psychological factors, therapy compliance, self-efficacy, and laboratory results (triglyceride, PCR urine, hemoglobin, phosphor, and albumin levels).

CONCLUSIONS

The findings indicated that multiple factors can influence SCB in patients with CKD. The most factors that showed a significant association with SCB were age and education in 5 studies, respectively. These findings underscore the importance of addressing patient-specific factors to improve patient SBC through education and counseling from healthcare providers.

Predictors of self-management behaviors among patients undergoing hemodialysis

Inadequate self-management has a significant impact on the mortality and morbidity of patients undergoing hemodialysis. The capacity for self-management is contingent on demographic, clinical, psychosocial, and cognitive factors. In particular, the role of family support and quality social interactions in this process is significant. The Individual and Family Self-Management Theory (IFSMT) emphasizes the integration of self-management into the lifestyles of the individual and family. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the factors that affect self-management in patients undergoing hemodialysis based on IFSMT. Data were collected from three tertiary-level hospitals in Korea from May to October 2021. A total of 140 patients with chronic kidney disease undergoing hemodialysis completed a structured self-report questionnaire comprising questions on general characteristics, complexity of disease management, accessibility to healthcare services, health literacy, family functioning, self-efficacy, self-regulation, social support, and self-management behaviors. Data were analyzed by descriptive statistics, independent t-test, one-way ANOVA with Scheffé test as post-hoc analysis, Pearson's correlation analysis, and hierarchical multiple regression analysis. The study found that self-management in patients undergoing hemodialysis was influenced by "health literacy" contextual factor and "self-efficacy," "self-regulation," and "social support" process factors, based on the IFSMT framework. These factors accounted for 45.0% of the variance in self-management. These findings highlight the importance of the IFSMT in predicting self-management behavior in patients undergoing hemodialysis. It is essential to develop a comprehensive intervention that incorporates these contextual and process factors within the family setting, and future research should evaluate its effectiveness.

Effects of Shared Decision-Making, Health Literacy, and Self-Care Knowledge on Self-Care Behavior Among Hemodialysis Patients in Korea: A Cross-Sectional Survey

BACKGROUND

Patients undergoing hemodialysis for chronic kidney failure experience various complications and physical and emotional difficulties, leading to decreased quality of life. Self-care behaviors are essential for preventing complications and reducing mortality rates. Effective self-care behaviors significantly depend on shared decision-making, health literacy, and self-care knowledge, each critical in patient self-care performance and disease management. This study aimed to determine the importance and relevance of shared decision-making, health literacy, and self-care knowledge. In particular, it enhances self-care behaviors among hemodialysis patients.

METHODS

Participants were 108 adult hemodialysis patients from the hemodialysis centers of three medical institutions in Cheongju City, Korea. Moreover, the study utilized a descriptive survey research design. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, independent t-tests, one-way ANOVA, Pearson's correlation coefficients, and multiple linear regression analyses.

RESULTS

The average score for self-care behaviors was 125.28 out of 175 points, with high scores for medication and vascular management. Furthermore, there were low scores for social activities and dietary management. Factors influencing self-care behaviors in hemodialysis patients were identified as sex, age, economic status, health literacy, and self-care knowledge. These factors explained 45.2% of the variance in self-care behaviors.

CONCLUSIONS

To promote self-care behaviors in hemodialysis patients, it is essential to improve health literacy and self-care knowledge, strengthen tailored educational programs, and promote the explanatory role of nurses and shared decision-making. Additionally, comprehensive interventions, including economic support, are necessary.

The moderating role of social support in the relationship between death anxiety and resilience among dialysis patients

BACKGROUND

Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) who receive social support can cope with the challenges. Therefore, this study determined the moderating role of social support in the relationship between death anxiety and resilience among dialysis patients in Qazvin City.

METHODS

This cross-sectional study used a descriptive-analytical approach on 347 dialysis patients in Qazvin City. The data collection tools included several questionnaires. The convenience sampling method was employed. The data were analyzed using SPSS software version 22 and mplus software version 7.2, employing descriptive statistics, such as mean and standard deviation for continuous variables and using counts and percentages for categorical/nominal variables. Regression analysis and tests were used to examine the relationships between variables. Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) analysis was employed to determine direct and indirect relationships between independent and dependent variables.

RESULTS

The prevalence of death anxiety was high (48.3%) among the patients. The mean resilience score was 62.59 ± 15.69, and the mean social support score was 52.23 ± 10.21. There was a significant association between resilience and social support (P < 0.001), as well as between resilience and death anxiety (P < 0.001). Furthermore, a significant relationship was observed between social support and death anxiety (p = 0.015). In the analysis of SEM, both the direct and indirect relationships between resilience and death anxiety were significant through the mediating variable of social support.

CONCLUSION

This study demonstrates that there is a relationship between death anxiety and resilience, and social support significantly moderates the relationship between death anxiety and resilience.

Frailty, Health Literacy, and Self-Care in Patients with Chronic Kidney Disease in Taiwan

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a chronic and often irreversible disease that requires active self-care to mitigate adverse outcomes. This study aimed to analyze the associations of demographic and disease data, frailty, health literacy (HL), and CKD self-care (CKDSC) in patients with CKD. We conducted a cross-sectional study at two hospitals in Taiwan. A total of 144 CKD patients with a mean age of 66.8 ± 9.1 years were included in the study. Among them, 79.2% were in CKD G3, and the mean time since diagnosis of CKD was 86 ± 48 months. Approximately 62.5% were identified as non-frail. The mean of HL and CKDSC were 11.76 ± 4.10 and 62.12 ± 9.31. In multivariate linear regression analysis, age ≥ 65 years (odds ratio (OR) = 5.67, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.59–9.75), non-frailty (OR = 2.19, 95% CI 0.02–5.40), and high critical HL (OR = 1.43, 95% CI 0.13–2.90) showed significant positive correlation with CKDSC. Therefore, management of patients with CKD should focus on the young population, reinforcing health education strategies that improve critical HL and preventing frailty that may interfere with self-care. In addition, the patient’s social support resources should be expanded to achieve the goal of CKDSC.