Depression, anxiety and adjustment in renal replacement therapy: a quality of life assessment.
OBJECTIVE
To measure the quality of life (QOL) of patients on RRT with regard to depression, anxiety, and adjustment to illness.


METHODS
The study was conducted between 1996 and 1998 at a teaching hospital in Porto Alegre, Brazil. The study population included 125 patients (transplant n = 64, hemodialysis n = 42 and continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis [CAPD] n = 19).


METHODS
The Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI), and the Psychosocial Adjustment to Illness Scale (PAIS) were used for patient assessment. Results were analyzed using the Kruskall-Wallis, Mann-Whitney and ANOVA tests.


RESULTS
Depression scores were higher for hemodialysis patients compared with transplant patients (H = 15.22; p < 0.005). CAPD patients had intermediate scores (no statistical difference). As far as anxiety was concerned, no statistical difference was observed when the groups were compared. In terms of adjustment to illness, hemodialysis patients were significantly less well adjusted than transplant patients (H = 23.34; p < 0.001). Patients on CAPD had intermediate scores, with no significant difference compared with the other two groups.


CONCLUSIONS
The overall quality of life of transplant patients is higher than that of hemodialysis patients.
Zimmermann
P R
PR
Hospital São Lucas, School of Medicine, Pontificia Universidade Católica do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil. przimmer@terra.com.br
Poli de Figueiredo
C E
CE
Fonseca
N A
NA
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001007:Anxiety / Q000523:psychology*; D001938:Brazil; D003863:Depression / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D010531:Peritoneal Dialysis, Continuous Ambulatory; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology; D017582:Renal Replacement Therapy / Q000523:psychology*; D012917:Social Adjustment