Sociodemographic differences in stressful experience and coping amongst adults with chronic kidney disease

This secondary data analysis aims to determine whether stressful experiences and coping behaviours differ across age, gender and education level and if sociodemographic factors are independently associated with coping behaviour after controlling for stress.

Chronic kidney disease is stressful for individuals and their families; however, little research is available on this topic.

In this cross-sectional quantitative study, information on stress and coping was obtained using the Chronic Kidney Disease Stress Inventory and the Jalowiec Coping Scale in 226 non-dialysis chronic kidney disease patients. The data were collected in Canada between 2005 and 2007. The independent effects of age, gender and education on coping behaviour were analysed in four multivariable regression models that adjusted for the three Chronic Kidney Disease Stress Inventory subscales separately, the total 34-item Chronic Kidney Disease Stress Inventory, and chronic kidney disease stage.

Stressful experience did not differ between the genders; however, women were more likely than men to report greater use of coping strategies. This relationship remained significant in each multivariable regression model. An inverse relationship between age and total coping use was significant in the multivariable model that adjusted for physiological stressors, but not in the models adjusting for psychosocial, logistic or total stressors. Significant relationships were observed between higher education and greater coping in bivariable analysis, but not multivariable analysis.

Knowledge of the relationships between sociodemographic factors, stressful experience and coping behaviour is necessary to develop and implement educative and supportive interventions further for chronic kidney disease patients and to provide the foundation for interventional and outcome investigations.