Prevalence and Impact of Depression and Anxiety on Quality of Life Among Hemodialysis Patients

Abstract

Background: End-stage renal disease (ESRD) patients going through hemodialysis are more prone to psychological disturbance, that compromises their quality of life (QoL). Previous studies report high rates of depression (up to 92.4%) and anxiety (up to 83.3%) in this population, underscoring the need for systematic mental health assessment. Purpose: To find out the prevalence of stress among patients hemodialysis patient and examine its associations with various quality of life domains. Methods: This study was cross-sectional and was carried out from May 2024 to May 2025 at the nephrology clinic of Hahya Hospital, Egypt. Eighty-four hemodialysis patients aged 18–65 years were enrolled by means of convenient sampling. The Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-10) and the Arabic-validated Kidney Disease Quality of Life Short Form 36 (KDQOL-SF™) were accustomed to evaluate stress and QoL, respectively. Descriptive statistics were a part of the statistical analysis, binomial confidence intervals and Spearman and Pearson correlation analyses. Results: Moderate amount of stress was observed by 78.8% of participants, mild stress by 23.8%, and severe stress by 2.4%; none reported an absence of stress symptoms. A significant positive correlation was identified among pain and physical QoL (r = 0.61, p < 0.01), as well as between perceived stress and kidney-specific QoL (r = 0.28, p < 0.01), suggesting complex, context-dependent psychosocial dynamics. Conclusion: High prevalence of stress highlights critical need for integrated psychological screening and intervention within routine nephrology care. Addressing stress-related burden through multidisciplinary approaches may significantly enhance treatment adherence, and overall quality of life in society.