On the Hemodialysis Patients’ Family Function in Zanjan Province in 2019

Background: Renal failure is a chronic disease getting more prevalent nowadays. Objectives: Since caring for the patients is expected to result in family functioning disorders, this study was done in Zanjan Province in 2019 to determine the extent of the hemodialysis patients’ family function. Methods: This is a descriptive study. 199 patients undergoing hemodialysis treatment were selected through the stratified random sampling method. Data collection tools included demographic information questionnaire and McMaster Family Functioning Questionnaire. The data were analyzed by Kolmogorov-Smirnov test, descriptive statistics, independent t-test and Pearson correlation coefficient in the SPSS software version 25. Results: About half of the participants were male (52.3%), married (76.4%), the family caretaker (56.3%) and urban dwellers (70.4%), having insufficient income per month (75.4%). 52.7% of the patients under study were more than 60 years old. The age group 20-29 (six percent) had the lowest frequency in the population of the hemodialysis patients under study. Furthermore, 15.1% of the participants had no health insurance coverage and there was no social support system backing 67.3% of the participants. All dimensions of family functioning, under this study, fell within the normal range. The mean scores of family functioning dimensions were lower in terms of problem solving dimension than in other dimensions (The problem solving dimension score equaled 1.88 within the range of 0–4) and families functioned better in this respect. Furthermore, the results proved significant statistical relationship between number of family members, sufficient family income, and the distance from the hemodialysis centers and being covered by the social support system on the one hand and some dimensions of family functioning on the other hand (p<0.05). Conclusion: Regarding the study results, the healthcare system is suggested to provide social support for the patients and their families; furthermore, education of families is recommended in order to promote favorable performance.