The relationship between spirituality, psychosocial adjustment to illness, and health-related quality of life in patients with advanced chronic kidney disease.
BACKGROUND
Spirituality may promote psychosocial adjustment to illness, and this may be a mechanism by which patients with greater existential well-being (EWB) experience better health-related quality of life (HRQL) in the context of life-limiting illness.


OBJECTIVE
This study explored the relationship between psychosocial adjustment to illness, EWB, and HRQL in patients with advanced chronic kidney disease and sought to determine whether adjustment to illness mediates the relationship between EWB and HRQL.


METHODS
This was a cohort study of 253 prevalent Stage 4 or 5 chronic kidney disease and dialysis patients. Participants completed the Spiritual Well-Being Scale, the Psychological Adjustment to Illness Scale (PAIS)-Self-Report, and the Kidney Dialysis Quality of Life Short Form.


RESULTS
Psychosocial adjustment to illness was highly correlated with HRQL, accounting for 29% and 27% of the variance in physical and mental HRQL scores, respectively. Although PAIS domains were associated with EWB, EWB remained a significant predictor of HRQL after all PAIS domains were considered. Adjustment in the domains of psychological distress and extended family relationships did appear to mediate some of the relationship between EWB and HRQL.


CONCLUSIONS
Adjustment in the domains of psychological distress and extended family relationships appears to mediate some of the beneficial effect of EWB on HRQL. Spirituality, however, provides unique variance in patients' HRQL, independent of their psychosocial adjustment. This study testifies to the importance of targeting both psychosocial adjustment to illness and spirituality as ways to preserve or enhance HRQL of predialysis and dialysis patients.
Department of Medicine, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. sara.davison@ualberta.ca
Sara N
SN
Davison
Gian S
GS
Jhangri
D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000416:Alberta / Q000453:epidemiology; D001294:Attitude to Health; D002908:Chronic Disease; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008603:Mental Health / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D011379:Prognosis; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology*; D006435:Renal Dialysis / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D051436:Renal Insufficiency, Chronic / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology*; D012307:Risk Factors; D012917:Social Adjustment; D029181:Spirituality; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires