Coping strategies among patients receiving continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis

Abstract

Objective The aim of this study was to explore coping strategies of patients undergoing continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis. Methods A descriptive design was used to conduct this study. The purposive sampling method was used to select study samples. A total of 41 patients on continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis were included in the study. The coping was measured on the Jalowiec Coping Scale. Results The optimal coping style was the most used by participants in the study, followed by fatalistic, confrontive, self-reliant, emotion, supportant, evasive, and palliative coping styles. The optimal coping method was effected by age and complication (p<0.01). Age was the influencing factor for the evasive coping method (p<0.05). Participants more than 60 years of age were less likely to use this method than middle-aged and young patients (p<0.005). The self-reliant coping method was effected by the severity of disease and the educational level of the participants (p<0. 05). Participants using the supportant coping method were influenced by their occupation (p<0.05). The severity of disease and hospital fee payment influenced patients using the palliative coping method (p<0.05). The fatalistic coping method was the second most commonly used by women in this study. Conclusion The results showed that patients used various types of coping strategies. Age, sex, educational level, occupation, severity of health condition, and manner of hospital payment had significant influence on the coping style. To probe the coping style of continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis patients, nurses have the responsibility of helping patients to use positive coping methods to deal with this stressor. Nurses also need to give attention to assessing the coping style of women receiving continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis to assist them in using a positive coping method.