[Illness specificity and coping with illness--an empirical comparison of dialysis and heart infarct patients]

In a multicenter study 118 patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) and 106 after myocardial infarction (MI) were investigated on their coping with diagnosis and onset of severe illness. A newly developed clinical coping questionnaire was applied, covering a wide range of cognitive, emotional and actional ways of coping with illness. The results indicate that more common than illness specific modes of coping were applied: Both groups primarily reported placing trust in the doctors, compliance-strategies and fighting spirit. The most helpful coping modes in ESRD- and MI-patients accordingly were information seeking, fighting spirit, active problem solving and self-encouraging in this retrospective self-report. Some illness specific differences remained, even after partializing out effects of age and education: Patients with ESRD showed more depressive coping, distraction and dissimulation. MI-patients more markedly applied internal attributions, carpe diem attitudes, and distrust in the doctors. Finally, consequences of the findings for psychosocial care for patients with chronic diseases are discussed, needs for future research are concluded.