The Relationship between Family Function with Happiness and General Health of the Hemodialysis Patients in Qom Province Hospitals 2020

Abstract

Chronic renal failure is a progressive and irreversible kidney disorder. Although hemodialysis increases the life expectancy of patients with renal insufficiency, the disease affects their lives and, in advanced stages, causes dysfunction and changes in their quality of life and puts heavy stress on patients. Identifying stressors and striving for the happiness and general health of the hemodialysis patient is an important step in improving the quality of health care provided to these patients. Therefore, this study was conducted to investigate the correlation between family performance and happiness and general health from a patient undergoing hemodialysis in hospitals in Qom province in 2020. The present study was a descriptive-correlational study conducted in 2020 in Qom. The sample size was 180 hemodialysis patients evaluated by purposive and available sampling according to the inclusion criteria. The instruments of this study were the Demographic Information Questionnaire, General Health Goldberg Questionnaire, Oxford Happiness Questionnaire, and Family Assessment Device Questionnaire. Data were analyzed using SPSS software version 20. Descriptive statistics including frequency, mean and standard deviation were also reported, along with inferential statistics such as Pearson or Spearman correlation coefficient. Examination of socio-demographic characteristics showed that the mean age of patients was 68.42 ±13.04 years. Most patients were male (58.9%), single (86.7%), and had primary education (36.1%). The results showed that there is a statistically significant relationship between family performance and happiness (P=0.006). Also, there was a significant relationship between anxiety symptoms and sleep disorder with happiness (P=0.022), social functioning and happiness (P=0.003), and depressive symptoms in general health with happiness (p<.001). These results may indicate that improving family functioning increases the level of health of hemodialysis patients. However, confirmation of the findings requires further study. It should be noted that solving problems requires the attention and support of planners and the cooperation of high-level managers and officials to plan properly to promote happiness and health.