Perceived quality of life and adherence to treatment in patients with end-stage chronic renal disease

Introduction: the end-stage chronic renal disease, due to how it affects the patient´s quality of life and the difficulties involved in the adherence of patient to treatment, is one of the most complex health problems. Objective: to identify the relationship between perceived quality of life and adherence to treatment in patients with end-stage chronic renal disease receiving hemodialysis. Method: a correlative study was conducted in the hemodialysis service room at the Hospital General Docente “Juan B. Viñas González” in Palma Soriano, Santiago de Cuba. The universe studied included 32 patients and 16 (met inclusion/exclusion criteria) were selected to work with. The techniques used were: World Health Organization quality of life questionnaire, document review, interviews and observation. A descriptive statistical analysis was performed (frequency analysis) and the nonparametric method applied was the Spearman's correlation coefficient using the SPSS 19.0 data processing program. Results: More than half of the population (56.25%) reported a fair quality of life, good (25%), and bad (18.75%). The physical health dimension was one of the most affected and it was found a negative assess of the disease in which more than 85% of those polled considered it as serious or very serious. Some sleep disorders was found and more than 60 % of patients were unsatisfied related this issue. Most of the patients (81.25%) characterized the disease symptoms as severe or very severe. Conclusions: patients studied had an adherence to treatment in a medium level and a perceived fair quality of life. There is also a correlation between the patient adherences to treatment and perceived quality of life.