Relationship between knowledge and prevention of complications in arteriovenous fistulas in hemodialysis patients

Abstract

Patients with chronic renal failure (CRF) suffer progressive loss of renal function and require arteriovenous fistula (AVF) for hemodialysis. Objective: to evaluate the relationship between knowledge and prevention of complications in hemodialysis patients with AVF, attended at the Instituto Hondureño de Seguridad Social, San Pedro Sula (IHSS/SPS), Honduras, 2022. Patients and Methods: mixed descriptive-correlational study. Population: IHSS/SPS patients with CRF and AVF. Sample: 60 patients. Method: survey. Techniques: interview. Instruments: form with 32 Likert scale questions and a guide with 10 open questions. The quantitative analysis was performed with SPSS version 25 and the qualitative analysis with Atlas Ti version 23. The data had a non-normal distribution, so chi-square was used to correlate the variables. Results: 42 (70%) were male, 13 (21.6%) were between 40 and 49 years of age, 27 (45%) were “very much in agreement” in knowing the complications of AVF, 100% knew and took care of their fistula by monitoring the trhill or vibration. Statistically significant relationship was found between prevention of complications and knowledge of AVF, P= 0.000 (P<0.05). Conclusion: most patients were aware of the care and complications of AVF and practiced self-care measures, with trhill surveillance being the most important. There is a significant relationship between knowledge and complications of AVF, since the chi test demonstrated an association between knowledge and self-care measures to prevent AVF complications.