The Evaluation of Illness Pperceptions in Hemodialysis Patients

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The purpose of this study is to determine how hemodialysis (HD) patients perceive their illness. The sample group of the study comprised of 129 patients, receiving HD treatment between December 2008 and February 2009 at a private dialysis centre and a dialysis centre at a university hospital located in Central Erzurum. A questionnaire, containing descriptive characteristics of patients, and the Illness Perception Questionnaire were used to collected data. Patients suffered from strength loss and fatigue symptoms and associated these symptoms with their illness. The score mean for perception of emotional representatives, perception timeline (acute/chronic), (18.79±3.07 ) and perception of personal control, (18.58±3.46) all sub-scales regarding the patients’ view on their illness, was higher in comparison to all other sub-scales of the scale. Risk factors (14.06±4.66) and psychological attributions (13.94±5.08) were determined as the most common reasons behind the patients’ illness. Results concluded that HD patients perceived intense emotional symptoms caused by their illness and the high level of personal-control. HD patients believing that their illness was chronic and due to illness occurs most of previous poor medical care, and stress-worry.

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Chronic renal failure , hemodialysis , illness perception.

Journal Of Anatolia Nursing an‎d Health Sciences

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Journal Of Anatolia Nursing an‎d Health Sciences