title: Quality of life of chronic renal patients on hemodialysis in Marília, SP, Brazil.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Hemodialysis is responsible for significant alterations in the quality of life of chronic renal patients.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To compare the quality of life of patients on hemodialysis without depression (A) and those with some level of depression (B).
  
  
  METHODS
  This was a transversal and descriptive study in which the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) and the WHOQOL-bref scale were used.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The studied sample consisted of 130 patients, 65.15% in A, and 33.84% in B. The highest levels of depression were related to longer periods of treatment. Quality of life indexes were better for A, and, as certain domain increased, also were the others. More differences were observed in the Psychological (A: 69.40 and B: 49.22) and Physical (A: 62.81 and B: 42.19) Domains; and the Social Relations Domain had a better average between the populations, as well as a better correlation with the other domains.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Although there was a low prevalence of depression among hemodialysis patients, some investments should be made in the social, psychological and physical support aiming to improve their quality of life.
authors.affiliation: Faculdade de Medicina de Marília, Hospital das Clínicas. riguaira@famema.br
authors.forename: Ricardo Corrêa
authors.initials: RC
authors.lastname: Ferreira
authors.forename: Carlos Rodrigues
authors.initials: CR
authors.lastname: da Silva Filho
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001938:Brazil; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003863:Depression / Q000209:etiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007676:Kidney Failure, Chronic / Q000628:therapy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011788:Quality of Life; D006435:Renal Dialysis / Q000009:adverse effects*; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D055815:Young Adult