The impact of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic on the mental health of hemodialysis patients in Lebanon

Abstract

Hemodialysis is a necessary treatment for end-stage kidney disease patients. It imposes undergoing three sessions of dialysis per week in a specialized center. Amid the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, precautionary measures were mandatory in all dialysis facilities and may have negatively impacted patients’ well-being. This study aimed to uncover the scale of this effect. We performed a cross-sectional study of all patients undergoing chronic hemodialysis in two dialysis units (one urban and another rural). Patients with Alzheimer’s disease were excluded. Patients filled a questionnaire including information on socio-demographics, factors related to the dialysis facility, and the impact of the COVID-19 epidemic on their mental health. A total of 72 patients responded. Their median age was 70 (60.79) years. Of them, 68% were males, 71% were married, and 10% were living alone. Following the pandemic, 35% felt more anxious, with a higher incidence of anxiety in the rural unit (p=0.021). Half of them felt very limited in their relationships, and 29% were isolated from their families. In total, 98% of patients were satisfied with the staff support. The imposed preventive measures were perceived as very strict in 27% of the surveyed patients. The majority of the urban group were bothered for not eating during the session, and they felt significantly more stress than the rural group (p=0.001). The SARS-CoV-2 pandemic increased anxiety among hemodialysis patients from a rural setting. Stress was more prevalent in the urban group and most probably related to limitations in eating during sessions. The majority were satisfied with staff support.

Associations of COVID-19-related fear with kidney disease quality of life and its subscales among hemodialysis patients as modified by health literacy: a multi-hospital survey

“…Fear of COVID-19 can affect the quality of life of hemodialysis patients through increased stress, anxiety, and psychological distress (Beaini et al, 2021 ; Lee et al, 2020 ). The fear and anxiety surrounding the pandemic can lead to stress and emotional strain, which can negatively impact their mental health and overall quality of life.…”

Saúde mental dos pacientes renais crônicos frente a pandemia Covid-19

“…Conforme o estudo analisado (18) Nesse contexto, os escritos do estudo (19) corroboram Nesse sentido, os dois estudos citados anteriormente se relacionam, visto que (20) também constatou altos índices referentes à ansiedade em mulheres, o que evidencia ainda mais a necessidade de voltar o cuidado para esse público em específico, visto que além das preocupações relacionadas ao próprio sofrimento com as doenças, ainda se ocupam de outras inúmeras tarefas ligadas à família e emprego, por exemplo.…”

“…Ainda diante da evidência trazida através do estudo (21) , a respeito da hemodiálise, a pesquisa (23) Em concordância com os dados apresentados anteriormente, o estudo (26) investigou que a grande maioria dos pacientes Em contradição aos estudos trazidos nesse tópico, a pesquisa (18) realizou uma análise…”