End stage renal disease (ESRD) can lead to death and requires replacement therapy. Hemodialysis is a lifelong therapy with a frequency of 2-3 times per week for 4-5 hours per session. Prolonged dialysis can cause stress and various psychological and social problems that can lead to psychological disorders. Fatigue is also a common feeling experienced by 60-97% of patients undergoing hemodialysis. This study used a two-group pretest-posttest design with t-tests for analysing bivariate data and frequency distribution for univariate data. Measurements were taken before and after giving foot reflexology and back massages using the FAS Fatigue Assessment Scale. There were 48 patients who experienced fatigue. After being given the intervention, there was a decrease in the value of the fatigue scale by 1.32 with a p-value < 0.01. It can be concluded that foot reflexology and back massage have an effect on reducing feelings of fatigue in hemodialysis patients.
Keywords: end stage renal disease (ESRD), foot reflexology and back massage, fatigue