A Study on Hope in Hemodialysis Patients

Abstract

This study is a descriptive correlation study on hope in hemodialysis patients. It aimed to identify the general and disease related characteristics and hope in 112 hemodialysis patients who had regularly received treatment at hemodialysis specialized hospitals from Aug. 7, 2015 to Sept. 8, 2015. Data were collected by using structured questionnaire. A revised instrument (consisting of 12 items) of Herth(1992)'s Herth Hope Index(HHI) by Jieun Cha(2013) was used to measure hope. Collected data were analyzed with SPSS using frequency, percentage, mean and standard deviation, t-test, and one-way ANOVA, and Duncan’s Multiple Range test was used as a post hoc. Statistically, the score of hope for hemodialysis patients was 32.36 points out of 48(if converting to full one-hundred points, 67.5 points out of 100), which was above the average. There was a statistically significant difference in marital status (F=3.20, p=.044), educational background (F=3.87, p=.011), and monthly income (F=6.35, p=.002). In particular, it is considered that nourshing a hope toward a future can be an ability to take care of themselves by improving the strength to overcome the disease. Therefore, ‘Hope’ Enhancement Program needs to be developed and applied for hemodialysis patients.