ABSTRACT

Objective: The purpose of this study was to determine health-related quality of life and the risk of malnutrition among persons with chronic kidney disease on maintenance haemodialysis (MHD).

Methods: A mixed-methods approach consisting of a case-control study followed by detailed interviews was employed. Cases (MHD) received haemodialysis three times per week. Controls (non-MHD) were persons diagnosed with hypertension and/or diabetes mellitus attending clinics at the same healthcare facility. Face-to-face interviews were conducted using a standardized questionnaire consisting of the 12-Item Short Form Survey and mini-nutritional assessment questionnaire as well as socio-demographic, health related symptoms, food frequency and physical activity. Anthropometry was assessed using standard procedures. Sixty participants completed the questionnaires on two occasions, 8-weeks apart. The study was approved by The University of the West Indies Ethics Committee.

Results: Four hundred and seventy-three persons (MHD = 150; non-MHD =323) participated in the study. The test–retest reliabilities differed by sex and treatment status. Mental component summary score (MCS) and physical component score (PCS) test–retest reliabilities (Cronbach’s alpha) for female MHD were 0.75 and 0.68, respectively, while they were 0.5 and 0.53, respectively, for male MHD. There were no significant differences in age, body mass index and sex between MHD and non-MHD. Maintenance haemodialysis participants were more likely than non-MHD to be at increased risk for poorer HRQOL and malnutrition. Mini-nutritional assessment tool scores were positively associated with PCS (p = 0.025) and MCS (p = 0.002) scores in multivariate regression analyses controlling for age, gender, ethnicity, education, employment, income and comorbidities.

Conclusion: Maintenance haemodialysis participants had poorer health-related quality-of-life and were at higher risk of malnutrition than non-MHD.