CORRELATION BETWEEN PSYCHOSOCIAL FACTORS AND HEALTH-RELATED QUALITY OF LIFE AMONG HAEMODIALYSIS PATIENTS IN KUMASI, GHANA

ABSTRACT End-stage renal disease, which is a public health problem that tends to take dimensions of an epidemic, is now prevalent in Ghana. The treatment modality available in Ghana for ESRD is haemodialysis. However, haemodialysis is both lifesaving and life altering. As such, ESRD and its treatment create turmoil that affects all aspects of a patient‟s life. This study, therefore, aimed at evaluating the correlation between psychosocial factors and health-related quality of life of haemodialysis patients. The study performed a descriptive correlation study of 30 End-stage renal disease patients who had received maintenance haemodialysis for more than 3 months at two dialysis centres in Kumasi, Ghana. The results of the study revealed that 80% and 20% of patients met the clinical diagnosis of severe depression and anxiety respectively. The results again indicated that respondents had poor or comprised quality of life. On the correlational analysis, depression and anxiety had an inverse or negative correlation with perceived health related quality of life of patients, perceived social support had a negative correlation with both depression and anxiety, and lastly income levels had a negative correlation with depression. It is recommended that a comprehensive clinical health psychology service to run concurrently with a renal counselling support service within the dialysis centers. Furthermore, dialysis treatment should be made affordable to improve the emotional wellbeing of haemodialysis patients.