Leila Kalani1, Hamidreza Aghababaeian2.3, Narges Majidipour4, Milad Alasvand5, Hadi Bahrami6 and et al

Abstract

Background: Depression is the most common mental health problem in hemodialysis patients that can have a negative impact on patients' quality of life. This study aimed to determine the effect of acupressure on severity of depression in hemodialysis patients. Materials and methods: This study is a randomized clinical trial. 96 hemodialysis patients in hemodialysis wards of Noor, Shariati, and Al-Zahra Hospitals were selected by convenient sampling method and After random assignment with minimization method, 32 patients were included in each group (intervention, placebo, and control). Data collection tools included a demographic questionnaire and Beck Depression Scale. Acupressure in the intervention and placebo groups was performed over 4 consecutive weeks, 3 times a week, each session lasting 20 minutes during the first 2 hours of dialysis at 6 acupressure points (SP6, ST36 GB34, K1, BL23 and HT7) with this difference that in the placebo group intervention was performed with one centimeter distance away from the true points. The control group received usual care. For data analysis, descriptive statistics, inferential (Analysis of covariance and LSD) and SPSS software version 21 was used. Results:  ANCOVA showed a significant difference in the mean score of depression’s severity in the intervention group (P=0.001), but no significant difference in the mean score of depression’s severity in placebo and control groups (P=0.22). Conclusions: This study showed that acupressure reduced the severity of depression in hemodialysis patients and the use of this drug-free approach is suggested to hemodialysis nurses.