Perceived Disease Burden and Social Support Among Adults on Hemodialysis in Northern Colombia: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Background/Objectives: Chronic kidney disease and hemodialysis have a significant impact on patients' lives. Social and clinical factors may influence perceived disease burden and the availability of social support, both of which are relevant for adherence and well-being. This study aimed to determine the relationship between perceived disease burden and social support among adults on hemodialysis in northern Colombia. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted on 183 patients receiving hemodialysis in northern Colombia. Disease burden was assessed using the GCPC-UN instrument and perceived social support using the Medical Outcomes Study Social Support Survey (MOS-SSS). Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, nonparametric tests (Mann-Whitney U and Kruskal-Wallis), Spearman's correlation, and a multivariate linear regression model with HC3 robust errors. Results: The mean age was 52.2 years (SD: 12.1), and 63.4% of participants were male. The overall disease burden score was 45.72 (SD: 16.47) out of a theoretical maximum of 144, with physical distress being the factor that contributed most to it (mean: 20.03; SD: 6.83). Functional social support was moderate (median: 72; IQR: 63-80). A significant inverse correlation was found between social support and disease burden (Spearman's rho = -0.160; p = 0.03). In the multivariate model, time on hemodialysis was associated with a higher burden (a 0.628-point increase per 12 months; 95% CI: 0.022-1.234; p = 0.04), while age showed a non-significant inverse trend. Conclusions: When assessing the burden of disease, patients on hemodialysis primarily experience physical distress and perceive a moderate level of social support. A longer duration of dialysis is associated with an increase in the perceived burden, while social support showed a weak inverse correlation with the burden of disease in the unadjusted analysis; however, this association was not confirmed as statistically significant in the multivariable model.