Quality of Life and Depression Among Mexican Americans on Hemodialysis: A Preliminary Report

Abstract Health‐related quality of life (QOL) and depression burden of Mexican Americans with end‐stage renal disease (ESRD) are not known. This observational cross‐sectional study assessed QOL and depression and examined their inter‐relatedness in Mexican Americans with type 2 diabetes and ESRD on maintenance hemodialysis (HD) treatment. Prevalent Mexican Americans on HD (N = 40) completed the Kidney Disease Quality of Life‐Short Form (KDQOL‐SF) and the Beck Depression Inventory II. The overall median scores for the mental component summary and the physical component summary scales in the KDQOL‐SF were 40.9 and 34.0, respectively. The prevalence of severe depression was 40%. The most significant differences between depressed and non‐depressed groups were symptom/problem list, cognitive function, and emotional well‐ being (P < 0.0001 for all). Mexican Americans with depression endure a more dismal QOL compared to non‐depressed peers. Significant negative correlations between depression and several QOL scales underscore plausible interactions between the two conditions which warrants further evaluation.
Source: Therapeutic Apheresis and Dialysis - Category: Hematology Authors: Tags: Original Article Source Type: research