Relationship between quality of life and sociodemographic, clinical and lifestyle characteristics of patients undergoing hemodialysis

Introduction: In chronic diseases, QoL depends on several factors such as the type and duration of the disease, its treatment and side effects, the severity of symptoms, medication effects, patient age, limitations and self-care capacity. In chronic kidney disease it has also become a measure of health outcome.Objective: assess the association between QoL and socioeconomic, lifestyle and clinical factors of patients on HD.Methods: This is a cross-sectional epidemiological census, carried out among 1,024 patients on hemodialysis from all hemodialysis units at the metropolitan region in the Espirito Santo’s, Brazil . Sociodemographic, lifestyle and clinical characteristics data were used. QoL was assessed using the Short-Form health Survey-36 (SF-36). Data were analysed by multiple linear regression.Results: The best QoL was represented by mental health (72.16) and the worst QoL by the physical aspect (26.78). After multiple linear regression, predictors of QoL were identified, with emphasis on males, a predictor of better QoL for 5 of the 8 domains and the summaries of the physical and mental components. Education, associated with 5 domains, gives greater reference to income. Physical activity was a predictor of 7 of the 8 QoL domains and the summary of the physical component. Among the clinical variables, the number of complications is associated with 7 of the 8 domains and summaries of the physical and mental components.Conclusion: Male sex is highlighted as a predictor of better physical and mental health and elderly people with better mental health, despite the impairment in physical health. The absence of physical activity is associated with worse physical and mental health. Clinically, having 3 or more intradialytic complications was associated with worse physical and mental QoL.