Demographic factors and health-related quality of life in dialysis-dependent chronic kidney disease patients: a cross-sectional analysis

Aim: To investigate the impact of socio-demographic characteristics on health-related quality of life (HRQoL) among dialysis (hemodialysis)-dependent chronic kidney disease (DD-CKD) patients. The findings aim to inform strategies for enhancing the overall well-being of CKD patients. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted at the nephrology clinic of GMCH, a public tertiary care hospital in Chandigarh, India, with a random sample of 104 participants. Data were collected using the Kidney Disease Quality of Life-Short Form (KDQOL-SF™) questionnaire and analyzed using SPSS (version 20.0). Baseline characteristics were described with descriptive statistics, and Cronbach’s α measured questionnaire reliability. Independent t-tests and ANOVA were applied to compare HRQoL scores across groups, while simple linear regression, logistic and multiple regression analyses examined associations between the variables. Results: This study assessed HRQoL in 104 DD-CKD patients (mean age 53.27 ± 13.67 years, HRQoL score 32.70 ± 6.00). Reliability was highest in the effect of kidney disease (EKD) domain (Cronbach’s α = 0.832). Higher incomes were linked to better physical component summary (PCS) (61.33 ± 12.92, p = 0.049), while unmarried patients had higher burden of kidney disease (BKD) scores (28.12 ± 16.47, p = 0.047). Hypertension (74.6%, p = 0.037) and alcohol use (75.0%, p = 0.013) were more common in males > 50 years, while > 50 years females had higher diabetes prevalence (50.0%, p < 0.001). These findings highlight the need for tailored, patient-focused care strategies. Conclusions: The study concludes that socio-demographics play a crucial role in influencing HRQoL in DD-CKD patients. Higher income levels and marital status were significantly associated with improved HRQoL scores, while age and gender impacted the prevalence of comorbidities and risk behaviors. These findings highlight the need for personalized, patient-centered care strategies to address physical, mental, and social challenges, ultimately improving the HRQoL for this functionally impaired population.