[The chronic patient's suffering: review of the literature (2000-2006)]

This article is the report of a literature review (LR), focused on the theme of patient suffering resulting from a situation ofchronic disease. This LR intends to identify studies that aim to understand suffering of patients who experience a situation ofchronic disease, namely renal disease and its dependence on a treatment for life haemodialysis, as well as to reveal essential aspects of the literature. Studies directly related to the phenomenon of suffering of patients living with dialysis were not found within national context and scarce within international context. The research considered the period of 2000 to 2006, having identified only two studies which results were analysed and summarized. Through literature analysis we can point out that suffering experiences may include a serious disease that changes a person's life and relationships. Chronic renal patients were considered as a differentiated group who presents certain specificity within its own context. This reality has a singular impact on each person and difficulties faced by the patient are most diverse. To identify what may cause suffering of the patient experiencing not only a chronic disease, but also the need of ambulatory life depending treatment, and to understand changes due to suffering are very important aspects in the literature. Also to be noted is a growing concern with this subject by the health professionals, aiming to know better that phenomenon, in order to help and comfort those who are suffering. Furthermore, knowledge on how suffering is expressed in life experience of chronic renal disease depending on haemodialysis is insufficient, studies being thus justified.