The impact of multidisciplinary rehabilitation on the quality of life of hemodialysis patients in Iran

Background/purpose: Hemodialysis contributes to changes in lifestyle and the health status of patients. The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of participatory rehabilitation on the quality of life of patients. Methods: This quasi-experimental before and after study was conducted on 30 patients in the hemodialysis center at Hazrat-e-Rasoul Hospital in Javanrood during 2013. The rehabilitation program was executed with participation of experts in the fields of nursing, physiotherapy, and clinical psychology for 8 weeks. The instrument used for data collection was the hemodialysis version of Ferrans and Powers Quality of Life Index (QLI) which was completed by the research assistant by interview before and after the rehabilitation program. Results: The mean age of patients was 55.8 +/- 14.3 years, 60% were male, and 93.3% were married. The average duration of hemodialysis was 3 +/- 2.4 years. The quality of life score of all patients before the intervention was between 10 and 19 (moderate level), which after intervention, improved to a good level in half of the patients (p < 0.001). Conclusion: Rehabilitation programs improve the quality of life of hemodialysis patients. By this finding, implementation of rehabilitation programs is recommended in hemodialysis centers with participation of experts from different fields including nurses, physiotherapists, and clinical psychologists. Copyright (C) 2015, Formosan Medical Association. Published by Elsevier Taiwan LLC.