A descriptive study of meaning of illness in chronic renal disease

• Published in: Journal of advanced nursing 2001-03, Vol.33 (6), p.716-727
• Main Authors: Caress, Ann-Louise, Luker, Karen A., Owens, R. Glynn
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: adaptation; Adaptation, Psychological; Adolescent; Adult; Age Factors; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Attitude to Health; Chi-Square Distribution; chronic illness; Chronic illnesses; coping; Cost of Illness; Cross-Sectional Studies; England; Female; Hemodialysis; Humans; illness representations; Kidney diseases; Kidney Failure, Chronic - psychology; Kidney Failure, Chronic - therapy; Kidney Transplantation - psychology; Male; meaning of illness; Middle Aged; Models, Psychological; Nursing; Nursing care; Nursing Methodology Research; Patients; Quality of Life; Renal Dialysis - psychology; renal disease; Sex Factors; Surveys and Questionnaires
• ISSN: 0309-2402; 1365-2648
• DOI: 10.1046/j.1365-2648.2001.01713.x

A descriptive study of meaning of illness in chronic renal disease Aim. To explore the subjective meaning of illness in a sample of renal patients. Background. Patients’ illness representations, such as the meaning they attach to illness, may affect their coping and adaptation. Improved understanding in this area may therefore benefit patient care. Meaning of illness has not previously been explored in renal disease. Design and methods. Cross‐sectional survey (n=405) in a single regional renal unit in the North of England. Ethical approval was obtained and patients gave written consent. The instrument used was an eight‐item schema, based on the work of Lipowski (1970, Psychiatry in Medicine1, 91–102). Field notes regarding rationale for choice were recorded concurrently, then content analysed to enable identification of themes. The chi‐square test (significance level P