Quality of life of patients on chronic dialysis
Rozenbaum, E.A.; Chaimovitz, C.; Bearman, J.E.
Israel Journal of Medical Sciences 20(2): 104-108
1984
ISSN/ISBN: 0021-2180 PMID: 6706534 Document Number: 226284
The quality of life of 106 patients on chronic dialysis in two medical centers in Israel was studied; 97 diabetic nonuremic patients served as a control group. Of the dialysis patients, 60% were between 30 and 59 years old and 81% had less than or equal to 12 years of formal education; 53% did not work, and 53% of the married patients were not sexually active. Only 22% could engage in usual physical activity. No significant difference was found between the patients of the two centers, despite demographic and geographic differences. Patients greater than or equal to 60 years old had a poorer quality of life compared with younger patients and with the parallel control group. The group of patients with greater than or equal to 12 years of formal education had five times more full-time workers than did those with less than or equal to 8 years education. We conclude that: 1) More dialysis patients are not restored to full normal function compared with the control group of nonuremic diabetics; and 2) In terms of patient rehabilitation, dialysis achieved better results with patients who had greater than or equal to 13 years of education, and patients greater than or equal to 60 years old had poorer results than did those who were younger.