Quality of Life of Patients in End-Stage Renal Disease Patients Undergoing Hemodialysis in Sulaimani City/Iraq

Background: End-stage renal disease patients require renal replacement therapy through hemodialysis. Hemodialysis procedure results in a loss of functional level and significantly impacts the quality of life over time.Aim: This study aimed to assess the quality of life of patients on maintenance hemodialysis in Sulaimani city.Methodology: A cross-sectional study was conducted in three governmental hemodialysis centers in Sulaimani city. Two hundred twenty-two patients aged 18 years or older who were clinically diagnosed with the end-stage renal disease with regular hemodialysis participated in this study. The World Health Organization Quality of Life-Brief tool assessed the quality of life. Data were analyzed using the statistical package for the social science version 25.0.Results: The patients' mean ( SD) age was (52.35 15.30) years old, ranging from 18 to 79 years old. Out of 222 patients, more male patients were recorded (n = 113, 50.9%). The quality of life domains were; physical health 39(21 - 57), social relationship 42(25 - 67), psychological 46(29 - 63), and environment (58 16), respectively. Increased age, gender, education level, comorbidities, living outside the city, more years on hemodialysis, and thrice hemodialysis weekly sessions were significantly associated with poor quality of life scores.Conclusion: The study findings revealed that hemodialysis patients had poor quality of life in all domains; physical health was the most affected.