The Relationship Between Fluid Control and Disease Adaptation Levels with Symptoms in Patients Undergoing Hemodialysis

Objectives: This study was performed with the goals of increasing quality of life and improving health condition in chronic renal failure patients undergoing haemodialysis treatments through increasing adaptation to fluid limitations, determining knowledge, behaviour, and attitudes regarding fluid control, guiding future studies by determining the physical, social, and psychological adaptation levels, and determining the relationship between symptoms with levels of fluid control and adaptation to the chronic disease. Methods: A prospective, descriptive, cross-sectional design was conducted. Ninety-five patients undergoing haemodialysis treatment were included in the study in a dialysis unit. The data were collected using The Patient Identification Form, The Dialysis Symptoms Index, Fluid Control in Haemodialysis Patients Scale and Adaptation to Chronic Illness Scale. Results: The most common symptoms were found to be respectively fatigue and decreases in energy (50.5%), bone and joint pain (41.1%), and difficulties remaining asleep (41.1%). The mean total ACIS score was found to be 81.61 +/- 8.93, mean total FCHPS score was found to be 49.88 +/- 4.88. An increase in the positive attitudes regarding fluid control was seen alongside an increase in general adaptation to the disease, where the fluid control levels of patients increased as their level of physical adaptation to the disease increased in a statistically significant level (p<0.05). The total and sub dimension scores of the scales were found to change in a parallel manner. Conclusion: Disease adaptation levels and fluid control attitudes were found to be related to some symptoms.