Is Health Literacy of Dialyzed Patients Related to Their Adherence to Dietary and Fluid Intake Recommendations?

Non-adherence to dietary and fluid intake recommendations (NADFIR) is an important factor for the effective treatment of dialyzed patients and may be hindered by low health literacy (HL). Therefore, we assessed whether low HL of dialyzed patients is associated with their NADFIR. We performed a multicentric cross-sectional study in 20 dialysis clinics in Slovakia (n = 452; response rate: 70.1%; mean age = 63.6 years; males: 60.7%). We assessed the association between nine domains of HL and non-adherence (high serum potassium, high serum phosphate, relative overhydration, and self-reported NADFIR) using general linear models adjusted for age and gender. Moreover, we assessed the moderation by socioeconomic status (SES). We found higher NADFIR among patients with less sufficient information for health management (high serum phosphate level; odds ratio (OR): 0.77; 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.63-0.94), with a lower ability to actively manage their health (self-reported diet non-adherence; OR: 0.74; 95% CI: 0.62-0.89), and those less able to actively engage with healthcare providers (overhydrated; OR: 0.78; 95% CI: 0.65-0.94). Moreover, SES modified this relation. Low HL affects the adherence of dialyzed patients. This shows a need to support patients with low HL and to train healthcare providers to work with these patients, taking into account their SES

The effects of an intradialytic resistance training on lower extremity muscle functions

Purpose: The loss of muscle functions is a significant health issue among dialysis patients. Poor muscle strength negatively affects a patient's mobility, independence and quality of life. The aim of the study was to assess the effects of an intradialytic resistance training (IRT) on lower extremity muscle functions among dialysed patients.Materials and methods: Ninety patients were allocated into an experimental group (n = 57) or control group (CNG) (n = 33) according to the location of the dialysis service center. Fifty-eight patients completed the study follow-up. The intervention regarded 12-week IRT, while the controls remained physically inactive during hemodialysis. In both groups of patients, we assessed lower extremity muscle functions by a diagnostics of maximal isometric force generated during hip flexion (HF), hip extension (HE), and knee extension (KE) contractions at baseline, after the 12-weeks intervention and after a further 12-weeks follow up.Results: We found that improvements in HE between baseline and post-intervention were significantly larger for the experimental than the CNG (difference 32.0, 95% CI = 12.3-51.8, p = 0.002). For the other primary outcomes, we found no differences between the groups, and neither for the two other indices of muscle strength (HF and KE). At 12-weeks follow-up, we found no statistically significant differences between the two groups.Conclusions: Our findings indicate that exercise during dialysis not just suppresses adverse effects in muscle strength and functioning, but effectively and safely increases lower extremities muscle function in a relatively short time.Implications for RehabilitationRegular, progressive, resistance training realized during dialysis is well tolerated and safe for exercise interventions in hemodialysis patients.A 12-weeks intradialytic resistance training is effective in the prevention and clinical management of muscle function loss among hemodialysis patients.The range of improvements in muscle functions, demonstrated by the assessment of maximal isometric force, varied severely during different lower extremity movements of hemodialysis patients

Health Literacy and Change in Health-Related Quality of Life in Dialysed Patients

Health-related quality of life (HRQoL) is likely to deteriorate with the progression of chronic kidney disease (CKD). This change may be worsened by low health literacy (HL). We performed a longitudinal study at over 20 dialysis clinics in Slovakia (n = 413; mean age = 64.8 years; males = 58.4%). We assessed the association of three HL groups with a change in HRQoL over two years using binary logistic regression adjusted for type of vascular access, dialysis effectiveness, comorbidity, age and gender. We found that patients with low HL had poorer HRQoL at baseline in comparison to high-HL patients. We did not find significant associations of lower HL with the deterioration of mental or physical HRQoL after two years. In the adjusted model, patients with lower HL were not more likely to have deteriorated physical (low-HL patients: odds ratio/95% confidence interval: 0.99/0.53–1.84; moderate-HL patients: 0.97/0.55–1.73) or mental HRQoL (low-HL patients: 1.00/0.53–1.87; moderate-HL patients: 0.95/0.53–1.70) in comparison to high-HL patients. The HRQoL of lower-HL patients is worse at baseline but develops similarly to that of high-HL patients during dialysis treatment. Their relative HRQoL, thus, does not worsen further, but it does not improve either. Tailoring care to their needs may help to decrease the burden of low HL in dialysed patients

Health-Related Quality of Life Profiles in Dialyzed Patients With Varying Health Literacy. A Cross-Sectional Study on Slovak Haemodialyzed Population

Objectives: Chronic kidney disease (CKD) strongly affects patients' health-related quality of life (HRQoL), mostly in the advanced stages of CKD. Health literacy (HL) may affect this association, in particular for some aspects of HRQoL. The aim of this study is to compare the profiles of HRQoL in dialyzed patients with varying HL. Methods: We obtained data on HL using the Health Literacy Questionnaire (HLQ) and on HRQoL using the Kidney Disease Quality of Life - Short Form (KDQoL-SF 1.3) in a multicentre cross-sectional study in 20 dialysis clinics in Slovakia (n = 542; mean age = 63.6 years; males: 60.7%). We compared HRQoL for three HL groups using ANOVA and the Kruskal-Wallis test. Results: Patients with low HL reported worse HRQoL than patients with moderate and high HL. The greatest differences between HL groups were found in the scales Effect of kidney disease, Cognitive function, Quality of social interaction, Social support, Dialysis staff encouragement, Patient satisfaction, Physical functioning, Pain, Emotional well-being and Social function. p-values in all cases were Conclusion: Patients with low HL have a worse HRQoL in several domains than patients with a higher HL. Increasing HL capacities and better supporting patients with low HL should thus be given priority to support their HRQoL and at least maintain its level

Does Depression and Anxiety Mediate the Relation between Limited Health Literacy and Diet Non-Adherence?

Limited health literacy (HL), depression and anxiety are common in dialyzed patients and affect health outcomes and self-management. We explored whether depression and anxiety mediate the association of HL with diet non-adherence (DN-A) in dialyzed patients. We performed a cross-sectional study in 20 dialysis clinics in Slovakia (n = 452; mean age: 63.6 years; males: 60.7%). Hierarchical cluster analysis was performed to create three HL groups. Logistic regression adjusted for age, gender and education was used to explore whether depression and anxiety mediate the association of HL with DN-A. Patients in the moderate HL group were more likely to be non-adherent to diet (OR (Odds Ratio)/95% CI: 2.19/1.21–3.99) than patients in the high HL group. Patients in the low HL and moderate HL group more likely reported depression or anxiety. Patients reporting depression (OR/95% CI: 1.94/1.26–2.98) or anxiety (OR/95% CI: 1.81/1.22–2.69) were more likely to be non-adherent with diet. Adjustment for depression reduced the association between moderate HL and DN-A by 19.5%. Adjustment for anxiety reduced the association between moderate HL and DN-A by 11.8%. Anxiety and depression partly mediated the association of HL with DN-A. More attention should be paid to treating patients’ psychological distress to ensure adequate adherence with recommended diet

Low Health Literacy Is Associated with Poorer Physical and Mental Health-Related Quality of Life in Dialysed Patients

Health-related quality of life (HRQoL) is an important health indicator in chronic diseases like kidney diseases. Health literacy (HL) may strongly affect HRQoL, but evidence is scarce. Therefore, we assessed the associations of HL with HRQoL in dialysed patients. We performed a cross-sectional study in 20 dialysis clinics across Slovakia (n = 542 patients, mean age = 63.6 years, males = 60.7%). We assessed the association of categorised HL (low, moderate, high) with the SF36 physical component score (PCS) and mental component score (MCS) using generalised linear models adjusted for age, gender, education, and comorbidity (Charlson Comorbidity Index, CCI). We found significant associations of HL with PCS and MCS in dialysed patients, adjusted for age, gender, education, and CCI. Low-HL patients had a lower PCS (B = −3.27, 95%-confidence interval, CI: −5.76/−0.79) and MCS (B = −6.05, 95%-CI: −8.82/−3.29) than high-HL patients. Moderate-HL patients had a lower MCS (B = −4.26, 95%-CI: −6.83/−1.69) than high-HL patients. HL is associated with physical and mental HRQoL; this indicates that dialysed patients with lower HL deserve specific attention and tailored care to have their HRQoL increased

Does Depression and Anxiety Mediate the Relation between Limited Health Literacy and Diet Non-Adherence?

Limited health literacy (HL), depression and anxiety are common in dialyzed patients and affect health outcomes and self-management. We explored whether depression and anxiety mediate the association of HL with diet non-adherence (DN-A) in dialyzed patients. We performed a cross-sectional study in 20 dialysis clinics in Slovakia (n = 452; mean age: 63.6 years; males: 60.7%). Hierarchical cluster analysis was performed to create three HL groups. Logistic regression adjusted for age, gender and education was used to explore whether depression and anxiety mediate the association of HL with DN-A. Patients in the moderate HL group were more likely to be non-adherent to diet (OR (Odds Ratio)/95% CI: 2.19/1.21-3.99) than patients in the high HL group. Patients in the low HL and moderate HL group more likely reported depression or anxiety. Patients reporting depression (OR/95% CI: 1.94/1.26-2.98) or anxiety (OR/95% CI: 1.81/1.22-2.69) were more likely to be non-adherent with diet. Adjustment for depression reduced the association between moderate HL and DN-A by 19.5%. Adjustment for anxiety reduced the association between moderate HL and DN-A by 11.8%. Anxiety and depression partly mediated the association of HL with DN-A. More attention should be paid to treating patients' psychological distress to ensure adequate adherence with recommended diet