Quality of life of hemodialysis patients in Togo: A single-center study on 64 hemodialysis patients at the Sylvanus Olympio University Hospital in Lomé, Togo

Abstract

This study aims at assessing patients' quality of life during hemodialysis (HD) and determining influencing factors. This prospective study was conducted over a three-month period (December 1, 2012-February 28, 2013) at the Sylvanus Olympio University Hospital (CHU-SO) HD unit, the only center to provide such services in Togo. Respondents used the standard Medical Outcome Survey-Short Form 36 questionnaire. This study was conducted on 64 patients (44 males and 20 females = M/F ratio 2.2). Mean patient age was 45.51 ± 14.00 years old with the vast majority in the 16-44-year-old group (90.82%), and mean dialysis vintage was 2.84 ± 2.37 years (1 month to 9.5 years). The mean global quality of life score was 35.58 (standard deviation ± 15). Quality of life physical score and mental score were, respectively, 31.84 and 40.64. Physical limitation scores were 15.23, followed by general ill-health score 37.38 and poor physical function score 47.37. Mental limitation score was 30.20 and vitality score was 43.75. The quality of life was inversely proportional to patient age and the dialysis vintage, with female quality of life scores worse than male in all questionnaire parameters. Togolese dialysis patients suffer from poor quality of life. Factors underlying such poor quality of life include advanced age, female gender, long-standing history of dialysis, and patient profession.