Coping and quality of life of the patients in hemodialysis

Abstract

People affected by the chronic renal disease have their quality of life diminished because of the effects of hemodialysis treatment. The loss of quality of life may be more or less intense depending on the coping strategies they use to deal with the effects of treatment. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between coping strategies and quality of life in patients submitted to hemodialysis. Three instruments (sociodemographic questionnaire, a Coping Style Scale, and the Kidney Disease and Quality-of-Life Short-Form) were applied in 49 patients of a hemodialysis services of a public hospital in Recife city, Brazil. We found negative correlations between coping focused on emotion and various dimensions of quality of life. These results are consistent with previous research, including those carried out with other patients. We discuss the implications of these results for psychological interventions.

Keywords

• coping
• qualidade de vida
• insuficiência renal crônica