Effect of Structured Pre-dialysis Education on the Clinical Outcomes of Kidney Patients

Background : The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of pre-dialysis education on clinical, laboratory, quality of life and self-care ability of patient started dialysis treatment. Methods : In this observational study we recruited 202 patients. 108 of them were patients who received systematic pre-dialysis education-(education group), 94 patients who were started on dialysis without education (non-education group). Quality of life, self-care, ability, psychological/depressive status, biochemical parameters were evaluated and compared between groups. Results : The education group had a significantly higher selfcare score (98.3 ± 8.5) (82.4 ± 21.5, p<0.001). The depressive symptoms were lower in the education group (2,8%, 0.9%, and 0.9%; respectively) compared with the non-education group (31.9%,20.2%,2.8%; respectively, p<0.001). Quality of life scale results were significantly higher in the education group than those in the non-education group (p<0.001 for each). Phosphate, parathormone, BUN and residual renal function level was significantly lower (p<0.01) and hemoglobin was significantly higher (p<0.01) in the education group compared to those in the non-education group. Conclusion : Our study shows that systematic education practices in the pre-dialysis period appear to a associated with improved quality of life, increased self-care ability, increased psychosocial well-being and positive effects on clinical outcomes in dialysis patients.