The Situation and Influencing Factors of Depression and Anxiety in Patients of Hemodialysis during the COVID-19 Pandemic in China

Objective: To investigate the incidence of depression and anxiety among maintenance hemodialysis (MHD) patients during the regular prevention and control stage of COVID-19 in China as well as the influencing factors. Methods: A cross-sectional study including 180 patients under the treatment of hemodialysis was conducted in the hemodialysis center of the 8th Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University. The questionnaire regarding the subject's general information, Self-Rating Anxiety Scale (SAS) and Self-Rating Depression Scale (SDS) was completed by the patients, and the laboratory test results were recorded. Results: The incidences of anxiety and depression were 35.6% and 38.9%, respectively, and the average scores of SAS and SDS were (48.03 +/- 5.02) and (48.12 +/- 5.42), respectively, in the subjects. The results showed that age, monthly income, vascular access of dialysis, feeling of pain and itching (within a week), worried about being infected by COVID-19, whether having health insurance and the levels of hemoglobin, parathyroid hormone, and phosphorus were the impact factors of both anxiety and depression in the MHD patients (p < 0.05 for all). Conclusion: The proportion of depression and anxiety is relatively high in the MHD patients during the regular prevention and control stage of COVID-19.