title: Perceived social support and quality of life in Iranian hemodialysis patients.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To describe the relationship between perceived social support and the quality of life in hemodialysis patients from an Islamic cultural background in Iran.
  
  
  METHODS
  A cross-sectional, correlational design was used. Data were collected in hemodialysis units affiliated to Iran University of Medical Sciences. Two hundred and two Muslim hemodialysis patients were selected by census during 2007.
  
  
  METHODS
  The Persian versions of the Personal Resources Questionnaire 85 (PRQ-85) Part II and the Ferrans and Powers Quality of Life Index-dialysis version were used. The data were analyzed using chi-square test and Spearman's rho correlation coefficients.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There were a statistically significant relationship between perceived social support and health-functioning (r = .65, p < or = .05), socioeconomic (r = .67, p < or = .05), psychological-spiritual (r = .63, p < or = .05), and family subscales of quality of life (r = .51, p < or = .05). Total quality of life was also significantly correlated with perceived social support (r = 0.72, p= .00).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Perceived social support is associated with quality of life in Iranian hemodialysis patients.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  It is important to reflect on the impact of culture and religion of Iran on quality of life of hemodialysis patients and their perceived social support.
authors.affiliation: Medical-Surgical Nursing Department, School of Nursing and Midwifery, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran.
authors.forename: Maasoumeh
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rambod
authors.forename: Forough
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Rafii
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001294:Attitude to Health / Q000208:ethnology*; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007182:Income / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D007492:Iran; D007514:Islam / Q000523:psychology*; D007676:Kidney Failure, Chronic / Q000208:ethnology / Q000628:therapy; D008297:Male; D017533:Marital Status / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008875:Middle Aged; D015404:Nursing Methodology Research; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology*; D012069:Religion and Psychology; D006435:Renal Dialysis / Q000523:psychology*; D012944:Social Support; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires