Abstract:

Background: Hemodialysis (HD) is most commonly prescribed for patients with temporary or permanent kidney failure and to people with end stage renal disease (ESRD) of whom their kidneys no longer have capacity of adequately removing fluids and wastes from their body or maintaining the proper level of regulated chemicals in the bloodstream. Through years, development of HD technology has simply allowed extracorporeal circulation to high technological medical devices capable of very precisely controlling ultra filtration, dialysis dose, the patient's core temperature, circulating plasma volume, plasma sodium and producing unlimited volumes of ultra-pure dialysate with particular reference to monitoring tools and bioengineering approaches for bio signal analysis. Modification of technology has led to improved dialytic tolerance, making possible to extend the treatment to a greater number of subjects. The need to provide hemodialysis patients a better quality of life has increased the interest in developing new techniques, such as the wearable artificial kidney that could less interfere with day to day activities. Thus, this study aimed to assess on how hemodialysis in BMC has effect on the quality of life of the patients and associated factors.

Objectives: To assess of quality of life and associated factor for HD patients attending at BMC.

Methodology: The study design used was a cross-sectional in nature using both qualitative and quantitative approaches and will be carried out among hemodialysis patients attending at BMC.

Results: Descriptive analysis has found that research participant in this study was dominated by male (62.5%), age group 41 to 60 years old (55.5%), married (55.5%), unemployed (4.4.4%), secondary school (48.6%), Christian (48.6%) and majority of them were live with good quality of life level (51.3%). Meanwhile inferential analysis shown that Qol among HD patients were influenced by their age (p < 0.05), gender (p < 0.05), occupation (p < 0.05), education level and quality of life (p <0.05), marital status and quality of life (p > 0.05), and lastly religion and quality of life (p - > 0.05).

Conclusion: Quality of life of Hemodialysis patients in Bugando Hospital are influenced by factors of gender, age group, occupation and education level. Recommendations: Nurses to give attention on domain of QoL especially physical function, provide psychosocial and environmental supports.