Relationship Among Hope, Self-Esteem and Stress of Hemodialysis in Persons with End Stage Renal Disease

The purpose of this study was to identify relationships among hope, self-esteem and stress of hemodialysis in persons with end stage renal disease (ESRD). The sample consisted of 81 subjects (44 males and 37 females between the ages of 24 and 80) who had been on chronic, maintenance hemodialysis at least three months at four dialysis clinics in a metropolitan area. Subjects completed the Miller Hope Scale, Miller Hope In Illness Subscale, Hemodialysis Stressor Scale, and Coopersmith\u27s Self-Esteem Inventory. Internal consistency alpha coefficients were obtained on all instruments used. Descriptive and correlational statistics were used to analyze the data. Chi Square was calculated to analyze selected demographic variables of sex, age, religious importance, living arrangements and hope, self-esteem, and stress. The stressors of hemodialysis were identified and ranked. The subjects demonstrated a high level of hope with a mean of 142.49 (out of a possible possible range of 39 to 195); high levels of hope in illness with a mean of 35.16 (out of a possible range of 9 to 41); positive self-esteem with a mean of 69.23 (out of a possible range 0 to 100); and a moderate amount of stress with a mean of 36.72 (out of a possible range 0 to 96). Subjects identified similar types and ranking of stressors as identified in previous research with the most frequently identified psychosocial stressor being limitations of fluid and the most frequently identified physical stressor being muscle cramps. Negative relationships were identified between the following: hope and stress (r = -.5737), self-esteem and stress (r = -.4095); and illness and stress (r = -.5560), all significant at p \u3c .05. Positive relationships were identified between self-esteem and hope (r = .3691) and self-esteem and living arrangements (r = .2563) significant at p \u3c .05. The findings of this study suggest that persons with ESRD undergoinq chronic, maintenance hemodialysis experience a greater sense of hope and self-esteem, and a lower level of stress than described in the literature. Further exploration of this relationship is warranted