Evaluation of Social Support for Patients Undergoing Hemodialysis

Objective: To evaluate the levels of social support for patients undergoing hemodialysis. Find out the relationship between patient’s social support and their demographic characteristics: age, sex, marital status, occupation, economic status, level of education, smoking, and residency. Methods: A descriptive research design was employed, focusing on patients diagnosed with stage five or terminal chronic kidney disease undergoing hemodialysis therapy at centres in Najaf al-Ashraf. The sample consisted of 234 participants, selected through a non-probability purposive sampling method. Data collection occurred from July 17th to November 5th, 2023. The Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (MSPSS), a commonly used tool for assessing social support, was utilized. Result: The overall social support level for patients undergoing hemodialysis was found to be high, with a cumulative score of 68.93. To investigate the influence of socio-demographic characteristics on perceived social support, a one-way ANOVA was conducted. The analysis indicated that, apart from monthly income, no other demographic characteristic had a statistically significant impact on social support. When comparing income groups (sufficient, somewhat sufficient, and insufficient), a significant difference in perceived social support was observed at the p < 0.05 level (F = 3.07, p = 0.04). Conclusion: The study found high social support levels, with significant differences across income categories. Smoking cessation among hemodialysis patients matched those receiving nursing counseling, highlighting the effectiveness of nursing education.