高齢維持透析患者の社会的入院

Abstract

In order to determine the specific problems associated with sociomedical hospitalization of elderly patients undergoing maintenance hemodialysis, the physical characteristics of these patients and reasons for their hospitalization were investigated. The subjects were 170 patients over 65 years of age undergoing maintenance hemodialysis at 29 dialysis clinics in Nara Prefecture. A questionnaire survey of the staff members of these dialysis clinics was performed. Disturbance of activity of daily living was observed in 77 cases (45.3%) of the subjects. Physical characteristics consisted of renal osteodystro- phy and/or joint disease for 34 patients, cerebrovascular disease for 28, heart failure for 28, dementia for 23, malnutrition for 23, and visual disturbance for 17 patients. Difficulty visiting the outpatient clinic, lack of family support, and loss of self-management abilities were frequent reasons for hospitalization. In conclusion, our findings indicated that sociomedical hospitalization is more common in elderly patients undergoing maintenance hemodialysis.