Acceptance of illness and satisfaction with nursing care among dialysis patients receiving long-term home care

Aim
This study examined the relationship between illness acceptance, satisfaction with nursing care and overall quality of life in dialysis patients receiving long-term home care.

Material and methods
A survey was conducted among 110 dialysis patients with chronic kidney disease. A diagnostic survey methodology was employed, utilizing a custom-designed questionnaire and the Acceptance of Illness Scale (AIS). Statistical analysis included the χ² independence test and the structural index test, with hypotheses verified at a significance level of α=0.05.

Results
The majority of respondents (62.7%) demonstrated a moderate level of disease acceptance, while 27.3% showed no acceptance, and 10.0% fully came to terms with their condition. The subjective health assessments of dialysis patients were statistically correlated with their level of disease acceptance (p=0.011). As disease acceptance increased, a higher proportion of patients rated their health as good or very good. Regarding nursing care, 50.9% of participants rated the quality as average, 45.5% as high, and only 3.6% as low.

Conclusions
Chronic dialysis significantly impacts patients' daily lives, restricting their activities and diminishing their quality of life. Chronic illness also affects self-esteem and self-worth. However, greater acceptance of the disease and confidence in medical care foster better collaboration between patients and healthcare providers, ultimately improving treatment outcomes and quality of life for chronically ill individuals.