Impact of End-Stage Renal Disease and Hemodialysis in Physical and Psychosocial Status of Elderly Patients

Although end-stage renal disease and its treatments causes a variety of physical, psychosocial, cultural,
and spiritual burden for both patients and families, few studies estimated it. The current study aimed to
evaluate the frequency of physical, and Psychosocial disorders in ESRF elderly patients. It’s a
descriptive cross-sectional study carried out in Dialysis units of El-Minia City in Egypt. One hundred and
fifty-two patients shared in the study. It was found that 80.3% of the sample can't do an activity of daily
living without assistance, 77.6% had shortness of breath, 40% had general weakness and 23% had
general edema. Regarding psychosocial status, 77.6% of patients prefer isolation, 80% of them were
sad and 46% refused communication with the health team. There are negative relations noted between
duration of end stage renal failure disease and acceptance of disease while positive relation noted
between duration of end stage renal failure and the following, isolation, social family relation, and feeling
of weakness. Also, There are positive relations between duration of dialysis sessions and both isolation
and weakness. Elderly patients with end stage renal failure were suffering from major physical and
psychological disturbances related to aging, chronic diseases and on the other hand failure of disease
coping. So, those fragile categories needs more specific programs for learning them and their families
different aspect of coping mechanisms for dealing with physical and psychosocial burden associated
with renal failure.