Characteristics of difficulties, information acquisition, and needs of working patients undergoing hemodialysis and their relationships with the acceptance of changes in job status: A pilot study

Objective: This study aimed to clarify the difficulties, information acquisition, and needs of working patients undergoing hemodialysis and identify the factors that are important for continuing to work. Methods: This survey involved individuals aged >20 years who were working and undergoing outpatient hemodialysis in Ishikawa Prefecture. Descriptive statistics were used to determine the actual situation with regard to three factors: difficulty, information acquisition, and needs. The relationship between the presence of changes in job status and the acceptance of such changes was also analyzed. The Mann-Whitney U test and categorical regression analysis were used for the analysis. Results: More than 60% of participants experienced difficulty in "fluid management" and "restraints owing to hemodialysis." The mean scores for difficulty in "sleep management," "shunt management," "physical instability," "mental health," and "job content" were significantly higher (from p=.013 to p=.046) in the groups with changes in job status. Results of the categorical regression analysis showed that factors related to "change as desired," "personnel evaluation, promotion, and salary increase," "workplace relationships," and "fluid management" explained 61.9% of the acceptance of changes in job status. Conclusions: The present findings indicate the necessity to be mindful of work, sleep, physical condition, shunt management status, and mental health when there are changes in job status as a result of undergoing dialysis. Personnel evaluation, promotion/salary increase, workplace relationships, and fluid management were also identified as factors to be considered when accepting changes in job status.