Effect of Nursing Intervention on Quality of Life of Elderly Hemodialysis Patients with Uremic Pruritus

Abstract

Background: The quality of life and successful aging are considered two central concepts in assessment and care of older adults. Further, the oldest patients are the fastest growing subgroup of the dialysis population in developed countries. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of nursing intervention on quality of life of elderly hemodialysis patients with uremic pruritus. Research design: A quasi-experimental pretest-and-posttest design. Setting: The study was conducted at the hemodialysis unit at the internal medicine department of Zagazig University Hospital and the hemodialysis unit at Al Ahrar hospital affiliated to the Ministry of Health. Subject: This study included 70 elderly patients. Tools: Tool I: A Structured Interview Questionnaire which consisted of part 1; demographic characteristics and part 2; health history and clinical data of elderly patients. Tool II: Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI). Results: There is highly statistically significant improvements in the total mean score of dermatology life quality index among studied elderly patients pre-post the intervention (P=.000). The total mean score of dermatology life quality index of the studied elderly was improved to reach 10.21 at post- intervention compared with 16.36 at pre- intervention. Conclusion: Post the nursing intervention, the quality of life among studied elderly patients was greatly improved at post intervention phase. Recommendation: It is recommended to replicate this study using a randomized clinical trial design in order to confirm the findings and to provide a higher level of evidence of its findings. Hemodialysis units must involve nursing intervention for improving dermatology life quality for hemodialysis patients.