Mindful Spiritual Therapy Dramatically Cuts Anxiety and Boosts Life Quality in Kidney Dialysis Patients

Gloria Florensia Br Surbakti Selasa, Agustus 11, 2026
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FORMOSA NEWS

A specialized psychospiritual therapy combining mindfulness and spiritual reflection significantly reduces anxiety and enhances the quality of life for patients undergoing routine kidney dialysis. The study was conducted by nursing researcher Ulfah Agus Sukrillah from Poltekkes Kemenkes Semarang in Central Java, Indonesia, between January and March 2025, and published in 2026 in the International Journal of Natural and Health Sciences. This research highlights how integrating mental and spiritual support into clinical nursing care can alleviate the severe psychological burden associated with chronic illness.

Background and Clinical Context

Chronic kidney disease is a growing global health challenge that places severe physical, social, and emotional strain on individuals. In Indonesia, the number of patients requiring long-term hemodialysis treatment continues to rise alongside increasing cases of hypertension and diabetes.

Patients undergoing routine hemodialysis frequently experience chronic fatigue, lifestyle disruptions, financial pressures, and deep-seated uncertainty regarding their long-term health. These factors frequently trigger moderate to severe anxiety. While traditional medical interventions focus almost exclusively on physical treatment and dialysis mechanics, the psychological and spiritual dimensions of patient health are often overlooked in clinical settings.

Research Methodology

The study utilized a quantitative quasi-experimental design involving 60 chronic kidney disease patients undergoing routine hemodialysis at a medical center in Central Java, Indonesia.

  • Participant Allocation: Participants were divided equally into an intervention group ($n = 30$) and a control group ($n = 30$) using a purposive sampling strategy.
  • Intervention Protocol: The intervention group received mindfulness spiritual therapy twice a week for four consecutive weeks. Each session lasted 30 to 40 minutes and incorporated guided breathing exercises, spiritual reflection, positive affirmations, and relaxation techniques. The control group received standard nursing care.
  • Measurement Tools: Anxiety was evaluated using the Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale (HARS), while quality of life was evaluated across physical, emotional, and social dimensions using the Kidney Disease Quality of Life-36 (KDQOL-36) questionnaire.

Key Findings

The study demonstrated marked improvements in both anxiety levels and overall quality of life for patients receiving the psychospiritual intervention.

  • Significant Reduction in Anxiety: The average anxiety score in the mindfulness spiritual therapy group dropped from 28.47 (moderate-to-severe anxiety) before the intervention to 17.23 after four weeks. In contrast, the control group experienced a negligible change, moving from 27.95 to 25.88.
  • Improved Quality of Life: Quality-of-life scores in the intervention group increased significantly from 56.12 to 72.85 out of 100. The control group showed almost no change, moving slightly from 55.76 to 58.10.
  • Enhanced Coping Mechanisms: Following the four-week program, 83.3% of participants in the intervention group reported improved emotional stability, and 86.7% reported higher spiritual calmness, compared to 36.7% and 30.0% in the control group, respectively.

Real-World Impact and Practical Implications

The findings demonstrate that non-pharmacological psychospiritual care can be integrated into standard clinical routines at low cost to produce immediate benefits for chronic kidney disease care. Healthcare facilities and dialysis centers can implement structured mindfulness and spiritual reflection programs to help patients adapt to long-term care.

For healthcare administrators and nursing staff, incorporating spiritual mindfulness into routine clinical care offers a holistic, patient-centered approach that improves treatment cooperation and psychological resilience among individuals suffering from long-term degenerative illnesses.

"Mindfulness spiritual therapy significantly reduced anxiety levels and improved patients' quality of life after the intervention, indicating that psychospiritual approaches contribute positively to strengthening holistic nursing care for patients with chronic kidney disease," noted researcher Ulfah Agus Sukrillah of Poltekkes Kemenkes Semarang.

Author Profile

Ulfah Agus Sukrillah holds a Master’s degree in Nursing and serves as an academic researcher and faculty member at Poltekkes Kemenkes Semarang, Indonesia. Her field of expertise focuses on medical-surgical nursing, holistic nursing interventions, and psychospiritual care strategies for chronic disease management.

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Gloria Florensia Br Surbakti

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