It is important to identify predictors of quality of life (QOL) in persons with chronic renal failure undergoing hemodialysis because low QOL is a risk factor for depression and suicide in this population. Self care resources, as defined in the theory Modeling and Role-Modeling (Erickson, et al., 1983), have been found to be predictive of QOL in persons with cardiac disease. Self care resources can come from internal (self efficacy, hope, control) or external (assistance, support, affiliation) resources. This study was undertaken to examine if the same relationship exists in a convenience sample of 42 persons undergoing chronic hemodialysis. Subjects completed the 70 item, Likert-type Self Care Resource Inventory (SCRI) and the 9 item semantic differential Index of Well-Being (IWB). Both tools have established reliability and validity. The SCRI has 6 subscales that measure resources (3 internal and 3 external) and 4 subscales that measure needs (2 internal and 2 external). Research packets were distributed at the dialysis center and anonymity was maintained. The mean age of the sample was 63.5 (sd +/-13.7) with a range of 35 to 88 years. The sample had nearly equal gender representation, but was predominately European-American (75%) with a 33 month history of dialysis. The internal consistency of the SCRI subscales and the IWB was adequate (>.80) in this sample. The IWB was used to measure QOL. The summed score of the 3 internal resource subscales predicted 49% of the variance in the scores on the IWB; however, neither external resources nor needs were significant predictors. Based on these results, efforts to increase internal resources such as control, hope, and self efficacy may have the greatest benefit in promoting quality of life in persons with chronic renal failure undergoing hemodialysis. Further model testing is needed in a larger sample.
Session #1197 - Chronicity
The 29th Annual MNRS Research Conference (April 1-4, 2005)