Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Research Today is a free monthly online journal that collates and summarizes the latest research about Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, including details on myalgic encephalomyelitis (me), diagnosis, gradual and sudden onset.

The fatigue experience of haemodialysis patients in Taiwan.

Lee BO, Lin CC, Chaboyer W, Chiang CL, Hung CC

Nursing Department, Chung-hwa College of Medical Technology, Taiwan.

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: To expand the theoretical understanding of fatigue, this study used in-depth interview to explore the fatigue experience from haemodialysis patients' perspectives. BACKGROUND: Fatigue is a common symptom experienced by the people with chronic diseases including those with renal failure requiring haemodialysis. METHODS: Data were collected in a haemodialysis unit of a hospital in South Taiwan. Purposive samples of 14 participants were interviewed in-depth. Colaizzi's methods were used to analyse transcripts of the interviews. RESULTS: Ten themes were delineated and classified into three domains. The first domain 'physical fatigue' consists of four themes: (1) habitual fatigue, (2) experiencing the uraemic symptoms (3) suffering from sleeping disturbance, (4) insufficient physical energy. The second domain 'affective fatigue' contains three themes: (5) detesting long-term treatment, (6) perceiving depression (7) and feeling exhausted. The third domain 'cognitive fatigue' includes three themes: (8) regretting lost cognition, (9) intentional isolation and (10) coping with fatigue. CONCLUSIONS: The findings identify that fatigue is a multi-dimensional concept. By understanding the various aspects of fatigue, nurses may be better able to plan and provide fatigue-relieving strategies for haemodialysis patients. RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE: The results can provide a direction for interventional studies designed to reduce the patients' fatigue.

Published 22 January 2007 in J Clin Nurs, 16(2): 407-13.
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