COPING STRATEGIES DURING CHRONIC ILLNESS

Abstract

Introduction: Pakistan is a developing country where the majority of the populationbelongs to the lower socioeconomic class. Chronic diseases such as cardiovascular and kidneydiseases are increasing day by day in Pakistan. Individuals suffering from chronic illnesses are ata greater risk of problems as compared to the un-sick. Their vulnerable situation and the stressof the event creates a lot of changes, changing the meaning of individual lives altogether. Tounderstand the dynamics of chronic illnesses, it is important to find out what coping strategieswere used by the cardiac and renal failure patients? Objectives: The researchers tried to findout whether cardiac and renal failure patients differ in their coping strategies. Study Design:Quantitative cross sectional study. Period: August 2014. Setting: The data was collected fromthe Dialysis Units of Mayo Hospital, Jinnah Hospital, Lahore General Hospital and all admittedpatients of Punjab Institute of Cardiology, Lahore. These four hospitals have good turn-over ofthe patients. Materials and Methods: Purposive sampling method was used in this study. Forthe collection of quantitative data, a hospital-based survey was conducted by using a structuredinterview schedule. 275 patients (131-cardiac and 144-renal failure) including 184 males and91 females between age of 20 to 110 years were interviewed. Mean age was 44 years (S.D= 15.338). T-Test for independent groups and Pearson’s correlation tests were carried out tocompare cardiac and renal failure patients coping strategies along with descriptive statistics.Results: Results indicate that renal failure patients used more physical coping (M = 11.23), t (df= 273) = -1.235, p<.01 that cardiac patients (M = 10.83), t(df = 273) = -1.242, p<.01. Cardiacpatients used more psychological (M = 28.69), t(df = 273) = 1.511,p<.01and behavioral coping(M = 17.37), t(df = 273) = 3.977,p<.01 than renal failure patients psychological(M = 27.97),t(df = 273) = -1.517,p<.01 and behavioral coping(M = 15.43), t(df = 273) = 3.980,p<.01. F =11.800.1.882, and 0.623 which are greater (i.e., p<.05). Pearson’s Product-moment correlationcoefficient show strong correlation exists between behavioral and psychological coping (r =.428). Conclusions: Study found significant differences between the cardiac and renal failurepatients coping strategies. Renal failure patients used physical coping strategies more whereascardiac patients used more psychological and behavioral coping strategies.