Cogitare Enfermagem (Mar 2015)

SOCIO-DEMOGRAPHIC AND CLINICAL PROFILE OF OLDER ADULTS RECEIVING HEMODIALYSIS

  • Ana Elza Oliveira de Mendonça,
  • Jessicleide da Guia Dantas,
  • Débora Azevedo de Andrade,
  • Camila Tedeschi Segato,
  • Gilson de Vasconcelos Torres

DOI
https://doi.org/10.5380/ce.v20i1.37080
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 20, no. 1
pp. 60 – 66

Abstract

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This descriptive, transversal research aimed to characterize the elderly patients receiving hemodialysis therapy, in relation to socio-demographic and clinical aspects, in two nephrology centers in the city of Natal in the Northeast of Brazil, in January – March 2014. A total of 81 patients aged 60 years old or over participated in the study. The study was approved by the Ethics Committee. Through a structured questionnaire, it was identified that the patients’ mean age was 70.2 years old (± 7.4), 60.5% were married and 81.5% had either completed or not junior high school. The mean time in dialysis was 3.5 years (± 2.2), 48.1% were hypertensives, 11.1% were diabetics, and 34.6% presented association of the two clinical comorbidities. The development of chronic kidney disease and dependence on hemodialysis treatment in elderly patients represent challenges to health managers, professionals and family members.

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