Factors affecting the quality of life and food intake of kidney patients on dialysis and suffering from viral hepatitis in Iraq-Karbala

Biochemistry

This study aimed to analyse the health and social characteristics of a group of married male patients suffering from chronic diseases, focusing on assessing the disease burden and the therapeutic and social challenges they face. The importance of this study stems from the urgent need to understand the factors affecting the quality of life of this group of patients, especially in light of the increasing prevalence of chronic diseases globally. Data were collected from 50 married male patients using a questionnaire that included demographic (age, economic status), medical (presence of chronic diseases, duration of illness, number of treatment sessions), and psychological (fatigue, depression) variables. Data were analysed using appropriate statistical methods, including t-tests, ANOVA, and chi-square tests to assess relationships between different variables. Graphs were also used to visualise the data distribution. The results showed that 74% of patients suffered from chronic diseases, with a global prevalence of mental health problems (100% reported occasional depression). Furthermore, 96% of patients reported feeling tired after treatment sessions. Socially, 94% of patients experienced poor economic status. Statistical analyses revealed a significant association between chronic diseases and disease duration (p=0.018), as well as between phosphorus restriction and weight loss (p=0.02). Interestingly, 94% of patients rated the quality of medical care as excellent despite the aforementioned challenges. Study highlights the heavy disease burden and social challenges faced by married male patients with chronic diseases. The findings point to an urgent need to improve the healthcare system to include integrated psychosocial support programs, taking into account the difficult economic conditions of this group. Also underscore the importance of developing more effective treatment protocols that reduce side effects such as extreme fatigue after sessions. Findings open the door to more comprehensive future studies to evaluate the effectiveness of the proposed interventions.

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