Original InvestigationDialysis TherapyObservational Study of an Arts-in-Medicine Program in an Outpatient Hemodialysis Unit
Section snippets
Objective Measures
With Institutional Review Board approval (University of Florida, Gainesville, FL), the AIM Program was offered to all long-term hemodialysis patients (n = 96) in the UF and Shands Outpatient Dialysis Unit. Participants completed the SF-36 and Beck Depression Inventory Scales. These instruments were repeated after 6 months, with patient participation in the art program assessed by the artists (as either low or high). The extent of participation was rated subjectively because of the varied nature
Results
Sixty-three patients provided informed consent and started the AIM Program. Of these, 2 patients died and 2 patients underwent transplantation. Thirteen patients did not have a complete data set because they were missing 1 or more laboratory, dialysis, or QOL values. The remaining 46 patients stayed in our unit the entire 6-month period and were evaluated fully by means of the scoring instruments, as well as chart extraction of clinical and laboratory parameters. Patients had a mean age of 51.7
Discussion
Impaired QOL has been shown consistently in patients with end-stage renal disease on long-term dialysis therapy and has been described by using a variety of databases encompassing local,1, 3, 6, 8, 9, 10 national,2, 5 and international4 experiences. Despite the breadth of geographic, ethnic, and cultural diversity, these studies have had remarkably similar findings. Regardless of the measurement instrument (SF-36, Beck Depression Inventory, or scales unique to certain centers), dialysis
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Support: None. Potential conflicts of interest: None.
Originally published online as doi:10.1053/j.ajkd.2005.11.030 on February 2, 2006.