Identity and chronic illness: Kidney disease and quality of life.

摘要

Chronic illness is one of the most significant issues facing society and health care professionals in the 21st century. In the past, individuals with a chronic illness died relatively early in the course of their illness. The impact of a chronic illness on quality of life (QoL) was not considered an important factor in the care of the chronically ill until modern health care technology was able to prolong life. Now, the objective for health care is enrichment and/or maintenance of life. However, chronic illnesses, like End Stage Renal Disease (ESRD), impose tremendous losses on these patients and their families, especially a sense of normalcy. ESRD inhibits the ability to form satisfying, intimate relationships, limits financial productivity, and restricts life-style. The unpredictability of ESRD and its complications prevents individuals from establishing long-term goals.; In an attempt to maintain a reasonable existence for the ESRD patient, health care technologies continue to formulate improvements in treatment modalities and methodologies that improve the physical condition of this patient population. Along with improvements in medical technologies and treatment modalities, the number of ESRD patients as well as Medicare expenditures continues to grow. Yet, the ESRD patient continues in a psychological struggle with their tenuous hold on life affecting their self-identity and QoL.; In health care, “QoL” is a product used as justification for health care services. The definition of “QoL” includes: measurements of the patient's well-being, patient's contentment with treatment, patient's symptoms, the patient's ability to cope with daily living, and the ability of the patient to a live a “normal life”. Since many factors impede and/or enhance “QoL”, quantitative and qualitative measurements of quality of life have been burdened by this problem of conceptual definitions and the interpretation of results. The purpose of this exploratory study was to gather information on the effects of chronic ESRD on one's self-identity and perceived “QoL” indicators within an anthropological framework. The study objectives included the following: (1) Identify changes made by the ESRD patient population to preserve and/or reconstruct their self-identity. (2) Analyze the effects of this/these change(s) on their perceived QoL.