Effectiveness of education and exercise on quality of life among patients undergoing hemodialysis

Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of an education and exercise intervention on the quality of life of patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD). Methods: A randomized controlled trail was used. A random sample of 150 patients (75 in intervention and 75 in control group) with ESRD and receiving dialysis was selected to participate in the study. The laptop assisted interactive education was prepared in vernacular language (Tamil) that runs for 25 min and shown to the patients and their relatives for the study group whereas the control group had only routine care by the dialysis unit. Before dialysis pretest was conducted and the following next visit patients was given laptop assisted interactive education before dialysis and supervised the exercise during dialysis. The data was collected using the Research and Development health-related kidney disease QOL (KDQOL) questionnaire. Results: Majority of them belong to age group between 50 and 59 years, studied upto primary education (29,30%), doing skilled work (44,40%)and earning more than Rs.12,000 and were having no health insurance. Most of them had diabetes and hypertension (35,34%) and was undergoing hemodialysis for more than 6 months (60,57%) and with Hemoglobin level (41,38%) of 6–8.5 g/dl and was underweight (48,41%). The mean scores for the Kidney Disease and general QoL sub-scales among the intervention group (Mean 66.5) were higher and statistically significant (p < 0.01) compared to the control group (Mean 55.25). QOL. Conclusion: The education and exercise intervention had a positive effect on the physical and mental health well-being of patients with ESRD. Therefore early education about renal disease in affected patients improves QoL and treatment outcomes in patients with ESRD on dialysis.