Evaluation of Fatigue’s Effect and Severity in Hemodialysis Patients

Aim: In this study, it was aimed to evaluate the effect and severity of fatigue levels in hemodialysis patients. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted on 130 patients who applied to Hemodialysis units between 01 November-01 December 2019. Piper Fatigue Scale, Fatigue Impact Scale, and Fatigue Severity Scale were used as data collection tools. In statistical analysis, Student's t-test and variance analysis were used. Pearson correlation coefficient was calculated to evaluate the relationship between the variables. Results: It is found that hemodialysis patients got the highest score on Piper Fatigue Scale from Piper Fatigue Scale - Affect (5.48±2.85) and patients felt moderately tired. Of the patients, 43.1% stated that ‘dialysis’ was the most important reason that contributes directly or causes their fatigue, and 23.1% stated that the best thing they found to reduce their fatigue was to sleep. Hemodialysis patients got the highest score on the Fatigue Impact Scale from the psychosocial (35.42±18.67) effect dimension. The mean score of the patients' Fatigue Impact Scale was 4.84±1.93. The Piper Fatigue Scale - Behavior, Piper Fatigue Scale - Affective, Piper Fatigue Scale - Sensory and Piper Fatigue Scale - Cognitive Dimension Scores, Fatigue Impact Scale - Cognitive, Fatigue Impact Scale - Physical and Fatigue Impact Scale - Psychosocial Dimension and Fatigue Impact Scale Total Scores and Fatigue Severity Scale Scores in Chronic Renal Failure patients with a chronic disease were significantly higher than in patients without chronic disease. The Fatigue Impact Scale - Cognitive, Fatigue Impact Scale - Physical, and Fatigue Impact Scale - Psychosocial dimensions, Fatigue Impact Scale total scores, and Fatigue Severity Scale scores in patients diagnosed with anemia were significantly higher than in those without anemia. Conclusion: In our study, patients over 65 years of age and those with chronic diseases other than Chronic Renal Failure had higher levels and greater impact and severity of fatigue. Keywords: dialysis, fatigue, severity, hemodialysis