Quality of Life of Chronic Hemodialysis Patients at the Chu-R and Chu-RN of N’Djamena, Chad

Introduction: End-stage renal disease (ESRD) is a major public health problem, particularly in developing countries. Chronic hemodialysis, the main replacement method, significantly affects patients’ quality of life. In Chad, no study had previously evaluated this aspect. The objective was to assess the quality of life of chronic hemodialysis patients. Patients and Methods: This was a cross-sectional, descriptive, and analytical study conducted over a period of 12 months (May 2024 to April 2025) in the nephrology and hemodialysis departments of the Renaissance University Hospital Center and the National Reference University Hospital Center of N’Djamena. All patients over 18 years of age who had been undergoing chronic hemodialysis for more than three months were included in the study. Their quality of life (QoL) was assessed using the validated KQDOL-SF36 questionnaire. The variables studied were sociodemographic, clinical, paraclinical, and therapeutic. The data were analyzed using SPSS 27.0, with a significance threshold set at p Results: Out of 96 hemodialysis patients, 68 were included in the study, representing a prevalence of 70.8%. The average age was 43.7 years with a sex ratio of 1.4. The age group of 36 to 45 years represented 35.3% (n = 24). Arterial hypertension was the most common comorbidity, with 89.7% (n = 61). Regarding treatment, 76.5% (n = 52) received two hemodialysis sessions per week, while 11.8% (n = 8) received three. For 92.6% (n = 63) of these patients, each session lasted four hours. The average overall QoL score was 66.18 out of 100. Physical functioning (26.85/100) and the burden of the chronic kidney disease (26.47/100) were the most impaired dimensions. Factors associated with a significant impairment in quality of life included age, education level, frequency of hemodialysis, anemia, and hypoalbuminemia. Conclusion: This study highlights a marked deterioration in the quality of life of chronic hemodialysis patients in Chad, with multiple socio-clinical and biological determinants. Improving care conditions and psychosocial support are essential to optimize their experience.