The impact of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic on the mental health of hemodialysis patients in Lebanon

Hemodialysis is a necessary treatment for end-stage kidney disease patients. It imposes undergoing three sessions of dialysis per week in a specialized center. Amid the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, precautionary measures were mandatory in all dialysis facilities and may have negatively impacted patients’ well-being. This study aimed to uncover the scale of this effect. We performed a cross-sectional study of all patients undergoing chronic hemodialysis in two dialysis units (one urban and another rural). Patients with Alzheimer’s disease were excluded. Patients filled a questionnaire including information on socio-demographics, factors related to the dialysis facility, and the impact of the COVID-19 epidemic on their mental health. A total of 72 patients responded. Their median age was 70 (60.79) years. Of them, 68% were males, 71% were married, and 10% were living alone. Following the pandemic, 35% felt more anxious, with a higher incidence of anxiety in the rural unit (p=0.021). Half of them felt very limited in their relationships, and 29% were isolated from their families. In total, 98% of patients were satisfied with the staff support. The imposed preventive measures were perceived as very strict in 27% of the surveyed patients. The majority of the urban group were bothered for not eating during the session, and they felt significantly more stress than the rural group (p=0.001). The SARS-CoV-2 pandemic increased anxiety among hemodialysis patients from a rural setting. Stress was more prevalent in the urban group and most probably related to limitations in eating during sessions. The majority were satisfied with staff support.