title: Body-Image Disturbance: A Comparative Study among Haemodialysis and Kidney Transplant Patients.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  As a chronic disease, End Stage Renal Disease (ESRD) changes the patients' body and affects their body image negatively. Although the changes in body image are expected in all types of renal replacement therapies, different renal replacement therapy methods could represent different levels of impact on body image.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  Present study was conducted to examine and compare the level of body-image disturbance between haemodialysis and kidney transplant patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  This descriptive study was conducted in two teaching hospitals in Tehran, Iran. Using convenient sampling, 84 patients (42 patients under haemodialysis and 42 patients with transplant) were invited to participate in the study. A self-designed questionnaire was developed to examine the level of body-image disturbance.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Out of 42 haemodialysis patients, 64.3%, 19% and 16.7% of patients reported low, moderate and high level of body-image disturbance respectively. The mean score of body-image disturbance was 21.1±18.3(rang=1-71) in haemodialysis patients. Of 42 transplant patients, 69%, 26.2% and 4.8% reported low, moderate and high level of body-image disturbance respectively. The mean score of body-image disturbance was 17.1±13.3 (rang=1-48). According to the results of independent t-test, difference between mean score of body-image disturbance in two groups was statistically significant (p < 0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The findings of the present study showed that both haemodialysis and renal transplant patients experienced some levels of body-image disturbance. This problem was more prevalent among haemodialysis patients as compared to kidney transplant ones. We recommend more studies may be conducted in this regard.
authors.affiliation: Hemodialysis Center, Alzahra Hospital, Isfahan University of Medical Science , Isfahan, Iran .
authors.forename: Jaleh
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Sadeghian
authors.affiliation: Medical Surgical Department, Nursing and Midwifery School, Iran University of Medical Science , Tehran, Iran .
authors.forename: Daryadokht Masroor
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Roudsari
authors.affiliation: Medical Surgical Department, Nursing and Midwifery School, Iran University of Medical Science , Tehran, Iran .
authors.forename: Naeimeh
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Seyedfatemi
authors.affiliation: Social Determinants of Health Research Center, Qazvin University of Medical Sciences , Qazvin, Iran; Medical Surgical Department, Nursing and Midwifery School, Qazvin University of Medical Science, Qazvin, Iran .
authors.forename: Hossein
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Rafiei
keywords: End stage renal disease; Psychological disorders; Replacement therapy