Stressful factors, coping mechanisms and quality of life in hemodialysis patients

Level of quality of life in hemodialysis patients change following stressful factors. Patients use different coping mechanisms in order to deal with stressful factors. The aim of this study was to determine stressful factors، coping mechanisms and quality of life among hemodialysis patients. This descriptive analytic study was done on 113 hemodialysis patients in Babol’s Shahid Beheshti hospital in 2010-2011. The data collection tools included questionnaire of hemodialysis stressful factors information (HSS)، Jalowice & Powers coping methods and quality of life Index of Parila et al. in order to analyze data، descriptive analytical statistics (Independent T - test، variance and Pearson ''s analysis and SPSS 17 software had been used. 50. 4 % of the patients were male. The age range of the patients was 87-18. The results showed that there was significant relationship between age with physiological stressful factors (p = 0. 050) and there was significant relationship between residency and psychological stressful factors) and between important activities of life and variables of occupation and marital status (p=0. 000 both). In dealing with stressful factors patients mostly used emotion-oriented coping methods، and there was positive and linearly relationship between emotion-oriented coping methods with psycho and social stressful factors (p=0. 000 and p=0. 009). There was positive and linear relationship between problem–oriented coping methods with aspects of overall quality of life and also there was significant inverse relationship between emotion-oriented coping methods with important activities of life، overall quality of life and physical condition. By identifying the stressful factors in hemodialysis patients، it is possible to have more valuable step through more effective nursing services and producing basic programs such as psychology counseling for strengthening problem - oriented coping mechanisms and improving their quality of life.