Personality dimensions of haemodialysis patients related to initial renal disease

The aim of the study was to investigate personality dimensions in uraemic patients undergoing haemodialysis (HD. The relationship between the disease that led to renal failure (and the subsequent need for haemodialysis) and the personality of the haemodialysis patients in question were investigated.

In the present study, which was conducted in three Greek hospitals, 103 patients were analysed and compared to 138 control patients matching the groups according to their age, sex and place of residence. The investigation was conducted using the Eysenck Personality Questionnaire (EPQ), a reliable method for clinical studies that measures three dimensions of personality: neuroticism, psychoticism and introverted/extroverted.

The results from the EPQ were compared to the three disease categories that cause renal failure: glomerulonephritis, polycystic disease, and vascular disease. It was concluded that haemodialysis systematically affected all three scales of personality disorders in the patients. Male patients scored higher in neuroticism, while female patients appeared to score higher in psychoticism. Renal disease, the responsible factor for renal failure and the need for haemodialysis, significantly affected personality disorders.

The findings show that dialysis modality influences the personalities of patients, and that initial renal disease must be strongly considered in the psychosocial evaluation and care of these patients.