A COMPREHENSIVE ASSESSMENT OF NUTRITIONAL STATUS AMONG ADULT PATIENTS IN DIALYSIS UNITS

Abstract

Objective: Therefore, this study aimed to assess the nutritional status of adult patients in a maintenance dialysis unit. Method: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted at the Dialysis Unit of Baqubah Teaching Hospital. A purposive sample of 50 adult patients undergoing hemodialysis was recruited during the study period from February 26th, 2025, to March 25th, 2025. Data were collected via face-to-face interviews using a structured questionnaire, including socio-demographic characteristics, health history, nutritional behaviors, and a Food Frequency Questionnaire (FFQ). Data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics via SPSS version 24. Results: The findings revealed that a high proportion of the sample suffered from major chronic comorbidities, including diabetes mellitus (58%) and hypertension (48%). While 56% of the patients had been prescribed a specific therapeutic diet, 56% of those prescribed a diet admitted to not following it at all. Additionally, 60% of the patients did not engage in regular physical exercise, and 40% reported a weak appetite. Inferential analysis showed no statistically significant association between patients' demographic characteristics and their overall nutritional knowledge level (P > 0.05). Novelty: The study concludes that adult dialysis patients suffer from high rates of clinical comorbidities, poor dietary adherence, and defective knowledge regarding appropriate renal nutrition.