Correlation between anxiety and social support in elderly patients undergoing maintenance hemodialysis

Objective To investigate the status of anxiety and social support in elderly patients undergoing maintenance hemodialysis (MHD), and to study the relationship between anxiety and social support in MHD elderly patients. Methods This study was a descriptive study, using the questionnaire survey to investigate the status of anxiety and social support in 96 MHD elderly patients, and to analyze the correlation between anxiety and social support. The research tools such as homemade general demographic questionnaire, anxiety self-assessment scale and social support scale were used to analyze anxiety and social support status condition in MHD elderly patients with different ages and different gender. Pearson correlation coefficient was used to analyze the correlation between anxiety and social support in MHD elderly patients. Results Of the 96 elderly patients undergoing MHD, 27 had no anxiety (total standard score < 50), 64 had mild anxiety (50 was less than or equal to 62), and 5 had severe anxiety (total standard score > 62). Among the 96 elderly patients undergoing MHD, 35.4% had low social support and 59.3% had moderate social support, while only 5.2% had high level of social support. The level of anxiety was significantly negatively correlated with the degree of the social support in elderly patients with MHD(r=-0.692, P<0.05). Conclusions For families of patients about the "low degree of social support can make patient anxiety or increase anxiety, and good social support can reduce the anxiety of patients" health education, the patients get more social support, thus reducing the prevalence of anxiety of negative psychological stress. The medical staff should also guarantee the social support for the patients in the hospital. Good social support can reduce the anxiety of patients and other negative emotions, which is conducive to the treatment of the disease and to improve the quality of life of patients.