Factors associated with the quality of life of adults subjected to hemodialysis in a city in northeast Brazil.

Introduction: There is a known association between low scores for quality of life (QOL) and higher rates of hospitalization, mortality in hemodialysis vascular access catheter, older age, lack of regular occupation, presence of comorbidities and hypoalbuminemia. There is still no agreement about the influence of sex, educational level, socioeconomic status and treatment time on the worst levels of QOL.

Objective: Identify socioeconomic, demographic, clinical, nutritional and laboratory factors associated with worse QOL in adults undergoing hemodialysis in Sao Luís, Maranhão, Brazil.

Methods: A cross-sectional study which evaluated the QOL of patients with chronic renal disease, aged 20-59 years, undergoing hemodialysis. Two instruments were used: the Kidney Disease Quality of Life -Short Form 1.3 (KDQOL-SF™ 1.3) and a questionnaire on socioeconomic, demographic, clinical, nutritional and laboratory data. The reliability of KDQOL-SF™ 1.3 was assessed by Cronbach's alpha. For the multivariable analysis a Poisson regression model with robust adjustment of the standard error was used.

Results: The reliability assessment of KDQOL-SF™ 1.3 showed a Cronbach's alpha test greater than 0.8 in all areas. The areas with the worst levels of QOL were "work situation", "burden of kidney disease", "patient satisfaction", "physical function" and "general health". Having less than 8 years of schooling, coming from the countryside and having cardiovascular disease were associated to the areas with the worst levels of QOL.

Conclusions: KDQOL-SF™ 1.3 is a reliable instrument to measure quality of life of hemodialysis patients. Demographic and clinical conditions can negatively influence QOL in chronic renal failure patients.