Anxiety Levels and Coping Styles of Chronic Renal Failure Patients: The Hacettepe University Nephrology Department Example

OBJECTIVE: This research was carried out to examine the levels of anxiety and coping styles of patients with chronic renal failure.

MATERIAL and METHODS: This research was conducted with 258 patients treated at the Hacettepe University Nephrology Department. The Beck Anxiety Inventory and Coping Styles Scale Brief Form was used as a data collection tool.

RESULTS: According to the obtained data, male patients had higher active coping and acceptance than female patients while denying and behavioral disengagement was higher in female patients than male patients. High levels of substance use and self-blame was found in divorced patients. However, patient trait anxiety levels was high and patients in stage IV and V of the treatment period had higher mean mental disengagement values than patients in stage III (p< .05).

CONCLUSION: Patients in the early stages of treatment, divorced and female patients with chronic renal failure had more problems regarding anxiety and coping than the other patients.