Effects of Home-Based Exercise Training on Fatigue, Sleep Disturbance, Symptom Distress and Quality of Life in End-Stage Renal Disease Patients

The prevalence rate of end stage renal disease in Taiwan is 2584 per million people. The dialysis rate in Taiwan has ranked top in the world. With the increased rate of dialysis, the survival of end stage disease patients has been improved. Therefore, survivorship in end stage renal disease patients is an important issue worldwide. Fatigue and sleep disturbances are among the most disturbing symptoms among end stage renal disease patients. It has been proposed that physical activity enhancement or exercise training can be effective in improving symptoms and quality of life in these patients. However, it has not been examined systematically. Therefore, the purposes of this study are to examine among the end stage renal disease patients: 1. Prevalence of symptom distress; 2. the impact of dialysis on symptom distress; 3. the physical preferences; 4. the relationship between quality of life and physical activity; 5. related factors of physical activity and quality of life; 6. effects of home-based walking exercise training on improving fatigue, sleep disturbances, quality of life, and survival. In the firs year of this study, a prospective longitudinal study design will be used and in the second and third years of study, the experimental design will be undertaken. Instruments include motion sensors, physical activity scale, SF-36, Physical Activity Preferences, Pittsburgh Sleep Quality of Life Index. Statistical analyses include descriptive statistics, t-test, one-way ANOVA, latent growth modeling, and GEE. Results from this study will provide important implications for improving symptom management and quality of life for end stage renal disease patients.