Showing papers by "Robab Sahaf published in 2017"

Uncertainty, the Overbearing Lived Experience of the Elderly People Undergoing Hemodialysis: A Qualitative Study.

Abstract: Background: The chronic kidney disease is a major health concern. The number of the elderly people with chronic renal failure has increased across the world. Dialysis is an appropriate therapy for the elderly, but it involves certain challenges. The present paper reports uncertainty as part of the elderly experiences of living with hemodialysis.Methods: This qualitative study applied Max van Manen interpretative phenomenological analysis to explain and explore experiences of the elderly with hemodialysis. Given the study inclusion criteria, data were collected using in-depth unstructured interviews with nine elderly undergoing hemodialysis, and then analyzed according to Van Manen 6-stage methodological approach. Results: One of the most important findings emerging in the main study was “uncertainty”, which can be important and noteworthy, given other aspects of the elderly life (loneliness, despair, comorbidity of diseases, disability, and mental and psychosocial problems). Uncertainty about the future is the most psychological concerns of people undergoing hemodialysis.Conclusion: The results obtained are indicative of the importance of paying attention to a major aspect in the life of the elderly undergoing hemodialysis, uncertainty. A positive outlook can be created in the elderly through education and increased knowledge about the disease, treatment and complications.

Grandparent-Grandchild Relationship and Older Adults’ Life Satisfaction

Abstract: Background and Aim: Aging population is increasing progressively. Therefore, determining factors behind their life satisfaction is among research priorities. The present study aimed to evaluate the correlation of grandparent-grandchild relationship and older adults’ life satisfaction. Methods: This cross-sectional descriptive-correlational study was done on 377 older adults who were 60 years of age or older and lived in Kashan, Iran. Participants were selected via multistage sampling. A researcher-made questionnaire was used for the assessment of grandparent-grandchild relationship and life satisfaction. Collected data were entered into the SPSS software (v. 23.0) and analyzed by running the Pearson correlation and multiple linear regression analyses. Results: Participants aged 70.24 ± 8.20, on average, and were mostly female (62%). The mean scores of the association, emotional, and functional attachment dimensions of grandparent-grandchild relationship were 56.81 ± 13.18, 77.75 ± 16.64, and 68.22 ± 15.71, respectively. Moreover, the mean of life satisfaction was 81.40 ± 17.01. Life satisfaction was positively correlated with the association, emotional, and functional attachments (r = 0.31, 0.41, 0.35, respectively; P < 0.001). Moreover, regression analysis illustrated that the emotional and functional attachments significantly predicted 20% of the total variance of life satisfaction (P < 0.001). The strongest predictor of life satisfaction was emotional attachment. Conclusions: Grandparent-grandchild relationship can significantly improve older adults’ life satisfaction. Therefore, strategies are needed to strengthen this relationship.

The Attitudes of Rural Community Health Workers Towards Older Adults in Kermanshah, Iran

Abstract: Background: Studies have shown that the quality of elderly care is substantially influenced by the attitudes of healthcare staff. The present study aimed to assess the attitude of rural community health workers towards elderly people. Methods: A cross-sectional design was employed in this study, which was conducted among all health workers of Harsin city (province of Kermanshah - Iran). The Kogan's Attitudes towards Older People Scale (KOPS) was used to measure data. The statistical program SPSS, version 22 was used to perform the data analysis. Results: The mean age of the participated health workers was 37.59 ± 4.48, about 85% were married and 76% were diploma holders. The average score of attitude was 150.60 ±15.31. About 15% of rural community health workers had negative attitude towards older adults. No significant relationships were observed between age, gender, marital status, work experience and educational status with attitudes toward aging. Conclusion: The findings of this study showed that rural community health workers do not have strong positive attitude towards the elderly. Therefore, it is imperative to develop efforts to improve positive attitudes of rural community health workers towards older adults and aging process.