New Mexico has one of the higher rates of kidney disease in the nation and undergoing weekly dialysis can be exhausting. A new study by researchers at the University of New Mexico found that improving mental health through the use of telemedicine also improved patients’ energy and pain severity.
The study is published in JAMA Internal Medicine by researchers at UNM and the University of Pittsburgh. Researchers used cognitive behavioral therapyto address a cluster of symptoms like fatigue, pain, and depression in dialysis patients.
"People with chronic conditions, chronic disease, that it not only makes them feel better and improves their quality of life, but it also improves other outcomes" said Mark Unruh, chair of the UNM School of Medicine Internal Medicine Department and senior author of the study.
Unruh said that using this model of care through telemedicine allowed for the recruitment of rural patients who face even more barriers to see specialists or get therapy.
Unruh said this approach engaged patients in decision-making about their symptoms and how to manage them and 97% of patients chose therapy over taking more medication. But he said that’s not surprising.
"These patients on average are already taking 13 medications. So, the addition of another one might not be that attractive" said Unruh.
Researchers also had a control group that received weekly health education via telemedicine. They found the therapy group had a 6% percent increase in energy levels and a 10% improvement in pain severity.
Unruh and his colleagues will now work to implement their findings with dialysis patients.
This coverage is made possible by the W.K. Kellogg Foundation and KUNM listeners.
