Relationship between illness representation, social support, and health behavior of patients with chronic kidney disease undergoing hemodialysis

Abstract

Purpose: This descriptive research aimed: 1) to examine the level of illness representation, social support, and health behavior, and 2) to examine the relationship between illness representation, social support, and health behavior among patients with chronic kidney disease undergoing hemodialysis.

Design: Descriptive cross sectional study design         Methods: The participants in this study were 187 patients with chronic kidney disease undergoing hemodialysis at Thammasat University Hospital and at Phranakhon Si Ayutthaya Hospital. The participants were selected based on the inclusion criteria. Instruments used to collect data include: 1) the Demographic Data Form, 2) the Illness Representation Questionnaire (IR-ESRD), 3) the Social Support Questionnaire (SSQ), and 4) the Health Behavior Questionnaire. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and Pearson’s correlation.

Results: The results revealed that the majority of the participants had overall illness representation at a moderate level and had overall social support and overall health behavior at a moderate level. In addition, the results showed that the illness representation and social support had a positive correlation with health behavior (r = 0.152, p < .05; r = 0.538, p< .01).

Conclusions: To promote the health behavior of patients with chronic kidney disease undergoing hemodialysis, health education should be implemented to cover 5 domains of illness representation. In addition, strengthen the patients’ social support is recommended.