Health related quality of life and cost of illness in hemodialysis patients attending teaching hospitals: evidence from a developing country

Abstract

Introduction: Chronic kidney diseases and treatment protocols and procedures including hemodialysis affect one’s life style, health status and nevertheless socio-economic status of the patients. We aimed to assess the health related quality of life and cost of illness in hemodialysis patients. Methods and materials: This study conducted in a two phases. First we assessed the quality of life of the patients undergo hemodialysis and then Cost of Illness (COI) was estimated. Researchers used census method for sampling and all patients attended teaching hospitals were included in the study. KDQOL-SF used for assessing quality of life of the patients and COI checklist was used for estimating costs of them during the study. Results: 38 (76%) of the participants were male and other were female (12, 2%). Also 76% of the patients were married. Mean score of quality of life was 221.2 ± 17.31. Direct medical costs of every patient with hemodialysis was calculated 268.71$ and total cost for every patients was estimated for 2,050.09$ per year for receiving hemodialysis care on average. Significant relationship found between the quality of life and gender and employment status. Also, there was a significant relationship between the total costs of the studied hemodialysis patients and the variables of employment status and job type. (α≤0.05) Conclusion: Although the quality of life score of hemodialysis patients was assessed relatively high, due to the fact that most of the treatment costs included overhead and indirect costs from the patient's out of pocket payments, it is recommended to the health authorities to take decisions such as setting up more dialysis centers to reduce these costs, and developing supportive subsidiary plans for these type of patients.