Background:

An important feature of chronic diseases, is it permanent character with a significant impact on long-term treatments, as it is the case of patients on peritoneal dialysis, that transcendently modifying their personal, family and social dynamic.

Objective:

To evaluate the relationship of coping strategies and health-related quality of life in incident patients on peritoneal dialysis.

Material and Method:

One hundred and six incident patients (within 0 to 3 months from the beginning of PD treatment) from 4 PD centers in Mexico City were included in a cross-sectional study. Kidney Disease Quality of Life Short Form (KDQOL-SF36) and Coping Strategies Inventory (CSI) were used to evaluate health-related quality of life and coping strategies respectively. Correlation of the coping strategies and the health-related quality of life scores were assessed. Distributions of health-related quality of life scores between engagement and disengagement coping strategies were compared.

Results:

Engagement coping strategy score showed significant positive correlation with the KDQOL SF-36 physical and mental composite, effects of kidney disease and burden of kidney disease, while disengagement coping strategy score negatively correlated with the KDQOL SF-36 mental component, and burden of kidney disease. KDQOL SF-36 physical and mental components, effects of kidney disease, burden of kidney disease, and symptom problem scores were significantly higher in patients with engagement coping strategy than in patients with disengagement coping strategy.

Conclusions:

The results support the hypothesis of a relationship between coping strategies and health-related quality of life.