Objective: This study aimed to determine the relationship between stressors and comfort level in patients receiving hemodialysis treatment.
Methods: A descriptive and correlational study was conducted with 107 patients in the outpatient hemodialysis units of 2 state hospitals between January and March 2019. Personal Information Form, Hemodialysis Stressor Scale, and Hemodialysis Comfort Scale were used in the study.
Results: The mean age of the patients receiving hemodialysis treatment was 60.08 ± 13.05 years and the mean duration of dialysis treatment was 7.03 ± 5.06 years. The mean score of the Hemodialysis Comfort Scale was 30.20 ± 7.36 and the mean score of the hemodialysis stressor was 65.91 ± 16.44. A negative correlation was found between hemodialysis stressors and hemodialysis comfort levels.
Conclusion: In the study, it was found that the stressor perception of the hemodialysis patients was moderate and the comfort levels were above the average. The top 5 stressors that affected the patients were fatigue, fluid intake restriction, dependence on others, food restriction, and muscle cramps. As the hemodialysis stressor scores of the patients increased, the comfort levels of hemodialysis decreased. It is recommended that nurses identify stressors that adversely affect patient comfort and apply effective nursing interventions to increase comfort.
Cite this article as: Bilgiç Ş, Pamuk Cebeci S. Relationship between stressors and comfort level in hemodialysis patients. Arch Health Sci Res. 2022;9(2):105-109.