Patients with chronic kidney disease undergoing long-term hemodialysis face severe physical and psychological strains, but a new psychospiritual approach offers significant relief. A clinical study conducted by researcher Ulfah Agus Sukrillah from Poltekkes Kemenkes Semarang examined the effect of a tailored mindfulness spiritual therapy on patients receiving care at a hemodialysis center in Central Java, Indonesia. The study, conducted between January and March 2025 and published in mid-2026, reveals that integrating mindfulness techniques with spiritual reflection drastically reduces anxiety levels and markedly enhances the overall quality of life for individuals navigating chronic illness.
Background and Context
Chronic kidney disease has reached critical levels globally, driving a growing demand for routine, life-sustaining medical procedures such as hemodialysis. In Indonesia, the prevalence of kidney disorders continues to rise alongside increasing rates of hypertension and diabetes mellitus.
While hemodialysis addresses the biological aspects of renal failure, the treatment protocol exacts a heavy toll on mental well-being. Patients regularly experience physical exhaustion, social isolation, economic displacement, and severe anxiety regarding their health prognosis. Traditional clinical care often focuses strictly on medical parameters, leaving emotional and spiritual distress largely unaddressed. This gap highlights an urgent need for holistic nursing care strategies that support mental resilience and emotional adaptability alongside conventional treatments.
Research Methodology
To evaluate the intervention, Ulfah Agus Sukrillah employed a quantitative quasi-experimental design featuring a pretest-posttest control group approach. The study involved 60 adult patients diagnosed with stage 4 or 5 chronic kidney disease who had been on regular hemodialysis for at least six months.
Participants were divided equally into two distinct cohorts:
- Intervention Group (30 participants): Received structured mindfulness spiritual therapy twice weekly over four consecutive weeks. Each 30-to-40-minute session combined guided mindfulness breathing exercises, self-awareness practices, positive affirmations, and spiritual reflections.
- Control Group (30 participants): Received standard, routine nursing care without the psychospiritual intervention component.
Researchers evaluated participant outcomes using two established clinical measurement tools: the Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale (HARS) for mental health levels and the Kidney Disease Quality of Life-36 (KDQOL-36) instrument for overall health status. The gathered data underwent rigorous parametric statistical analyses, including paired and independent t-tests.
Key Findings
The statistical results confirmed that mindfulness spiritual therapy drives measurable, meaningful improvements across multiple clinical metrics:
- Substantial Anxiety Reduction: The intervention group experienced a dramatic drop in mean anxiety scores, declining from a pre-intervention baseline of 28.47 (indicating moderate-to-severe anxiety) down to 17.23 post-intervention. By contrast, the control group showed no statistically significant change, moving slightly from 27.95 to 25.88.
- Elevated Quality of Life: Patients who completed the psychospiritual therapy sessions demonstrated a notable increase in their quality of life scores, rising from 56.12 to 72.85. The control group registered minimal variation, edging from 55.76 to 58.10.
- Enhanced Emotional Adaptation: Over 83% of participants in the intervention group reported improved emotional stability, while 86.7% experienced greater spiritual calmness. Over 78% demonstrated improved coping capabilities during their routine medical procedures.
Real-World Impact and Practical Implications
These research findings present actionable benefits for healthcare providers, clinical administrators, and public health policymakers. Integrating mindfulness spiritual therapy into standard dialysis protocols offers a low-cost, non-invasive, and culturally resonant method to bolster patient health outcomes.
By relieving psychological distress, healthcare facilities can foster higher treatment adherence, clearer clinical communication, and better overall patient engagement. For healthcare systems in regions with deep cultural or religious roots, psychospiritual care provides a practical model for human-centered, holistic nursing care that addresses the whole person rather than just the disease.
Author Quote
"Psychospiritual approaches contribute positively to strengthening holistic nursing care for patients with chronic kidney disease, assisting individuals to reinterpret their illness more calmly and meaningfully while strengthening emotional regulation and resilience during long-term treatment," stated Ulfah Agus Sukrillah of Poltekkes Kemenkes Semarang.
Author Profile
Ulfah Agus Sukrillah, S.Tr.Kep., M.Kep. (or equivalent nursing academic degree holder) is a researcher and academic faculty member at Poltekkes Kemenkes Semarang, Indonesia. Her research expertise focuses on medical-surgical nursing, holistic nursing interventions, psychospiritual therapy, and chronic illness care management.
Source Information
- Article Title: The Effectiveness of Mindfulness Spiritual Therapy Intervention on Anxiety Levels and Quality of Life in Chronic Kidney Disease Patients
- Journal Name: International Journal of Natural and Health Sciences (IJNHS)
- Publication Year: 2026 (Vol. 4, No. 3, pp. 197–212)
- DOI :
https://doi.org/10.59890/ijnhs.v4i3.235 - Official URL :https://aprmultitechpublisher.my.id/index.php/ijnhs/index
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