A six-month multimodal psychological nursing program is associated with sustained improvements in negative emotions, treatment adherence, quality of life, and positive psychological resources in cancer patients with renal failure receiving hemodialysis, with effects lasting up to 12 months post-intervention.
Key Findings
Methods
In this retrospective cohort, 275 hemodialysis patients with renal failure complicated by cancer were analyzed, 143 receiving a multimodal psychological nursing program in addition to conventional care and 132 receiving conventional care only.
431 patients were screened and 362 were eligible; 87 eligible patients, including 17 who died, were excluded before analysis.
Patients were treated between January 2022 and January 2024, and group assignment was based on nursing records.
The analysis was a final complete-case analysis.
Methods
The multimodal program combined cognitive behavioral nursing, mindfulness-based stress reduction, and family support system construction, delivered over six months.
The observation group received this program in addition to conventional care.
Outcomes were assessed at baseline, immediately post-intervention, and at 12-month follow-up; nursing satisfaction was compared at the end of the intervention.
Results
The observation group showed lower anxiety, depression, and distress scores than the control group at both post-intervention and 12-month follow-up.
Negative emotions were measured with SAS, SDS, and the Distress Thermometer.
The abstract reports significantly greater improvements in the observation group across all outcomes (all p < 0.05).
Results
The observation group had higher treatment adherence and self-management than the control group at post-intervention and follow-up.
Differences were reported as significant (p < 0.05).
Effects were reported as sustained at 12 months.
Results
Quality of life, measured by KDQOL-36, was better in the observation group on all domains at both post-intervention and follow-up assessments.
The abstract states improvements were across all domains (all p < 0.05).
Assessments were at immediately post-intervention and 12-month follow-up.
Results
The observation group had enhanced hope, resilience, and internal health locus of control compared with the control group.
Measured with Herth Hope Index, Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale, and Multidimensional Health Locus of Control Scale.
Differences were reported as significant (p < 0.05) at post-intervention and follow-up.
Results
Nursing satisfaction was higher in the observation group at the end of the intervention.
Satisfaction was compared only at the end of the intervention.
The difference was reported as significant (p < 0.05).
Conclusions
The authors conclude that the six-month program is associated with improvements lasting up to 12 months after the intervention.
The study is a retrospective cohort, so the findings are framed as associations.
The population has significant physical and psychological distress from combined renal failure and cancer, with long-term psychological nursing strategies being underexplored.
What This Means
This study looked at people who need hemodialysis for kidney failure and who also have cancer, a group that faces heavy physical and emotional burdens. Researchers reviewed nursing records of 275 such patients treated between 2022 and 2024. About half (143) had received a six-month psychological nursing program on top of usual care. The program combined cognitive behavioral techniques, mindfulness-based stress reduction, and efforts to build family support. The others (132) received usual care alone.
Patients who received the extra program had lower anxiety, depression, and distress, better adherence to treatment, and better quality of life across all areas measured. They also reported more hope, resilience, and a stronger sense that they could influence their own health, and they were more satisfied with nursing care. These differences were seen right after the program and again 12 months later.
This research suggests that structured psychological support delivered through nursing care may help this group of patients both emotionally and in daily life. However, because the study looked back at existing records rather than randomly assigning patients, other differences between the groups could have contributed to the results, and the findings show association rather than proof of cause.
Zhang L, Hu X, Zhang C, Xiong J. (2026). Association of Multimodal Psychological Nursing with Mental Health and Quality of Life in Cancer Patients with Renal Failure Receiving Hemodialysis.. Journal of visualized experiments : JoVE. https://doi.org/10.3791/72208