ANXIETY AMONG CAREGIVERS OF PATIENTS UNDERGOING HEMODIALYSIS

Ανδριάνα Μαγγίτα, Βασιλική Τσούλου, Αθανασία Τσάμη

Τρίτη, 1 Οκτωβρίου 2024

Έτος δημοσίευσης:

2024

Συγγραφείς:

• Μαγγίτα Ανδριάνα, MSc, PhD Υποδιευθύντρια Ν.Υ Κλινική Υγείας Μέλαθρον
• Τσούλου Βασιλική, Νοσηλεύτριες, Ms(c) Γ.Ν. Ασκληπιείο Βούλας
• Τσάμη Αθανασία, ΠΜΣ «Νευρολογικά Νοσήματα-Σύγχρονη Πρακτική Βασισμένη σε Ενδείξεις», Τμήμα Νοσηλευτικής, ΤΕΙ Αθήνας

Ευρετήριο όρων:

• Anxiety
• hemodialysis
• patients

Σελίδες: 351-358

DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.21325545

Περίληψη:

Introduction: Hemodialysis (HD) imposes a significant physical, psychological, social, and economic burden not only on patients but also on their caregivers, who are most commonly family members or close relatives. Caregivers play a central role in providing ongoing physical, emotional, and social support throughout the treatment process, while their responsibilities may contribute to the development of anxiety. The purpose of this study was to explore anxiety among caregivers of patients undergoing HD.

Material and Methods: The present study included 100 caregivers of HD patients attending a private dialysis center in Attica. Data were collected through structured interviews using the Zung Self-Rating Anxiety Scale (SAS) along with caregivers’ characteristics. The level of statistical significance was set at p < 0.05.

Results: Of the 100 participants, 62% were female and 52% were aged over 60 years. The mean anxiety score was 57.8±11.5 on the Zung Self-Rating Anxiety Scale (range 20–80), indicating moderate levels of anxiety. Anxiety was significantly associated with caregivers’ self-reports, including fatigue (p=0.050), restrictive lifestyle (p=0.044), level of information regarding HD (p=0.008), perceived caregiving as a burden (p=0.027), difficulties in coordinating healthcare needs (p=0.025), insomnia (p=0.003), uncertainty about future (p=0.013), and family conflicts (p=0.056).

Conclusions: Anxiety among caregivers of HD patients was significantly associated with their caregiving-related perceptions. Targeted interventions addressing their perceptions may help reduce anxiety and improve caregivers’ overall well-being.