Assessing Health - Related Quality of Life in Chronic Kidney Disease Patients: The Use of General and Specific Instruments

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) has detrimental effects on patient’s quality of life. Regarding this multidimensional concept, the correlations between assessment of quality of life, morbidity and mortality for this population indicate the measures’ necessity. The Health Related Quality of Life (HRQoL) is a multidimensional approach that has been proposed as a way to achieve a more holistic assessment for the level of QoL in patients with CKD. Two dimensions have been included: the ‘Generic’ and the ‘disease - targeted’ multidimensional HRQoL questionnaires. Morever, selection criteria for the appropriate instrument are discussed identifying thus the utility of practicality, shortness and adaptability to CKD patients. This chapter provides specially the minimum requirements that any instrument of quality of life should meet in order to be functional in the everyday clinical practice. On the other hand, researchers in contrast to clinicians are focused mainly on generic or specific measures with high validity and reproducibility. Finally in this chapter, various interventions with proven effect in HRQoL are discussed, such as exercise and congitive behaviour therapy that may influence the psychosocial status in CKD patients affecting among others their daily function, the ability to sustain social networks and the overall mental and physical health.

Keywords: Renal, kidney, failure, survival, fatigue, sleep, gender, illness, health - related quality of life, hemodialysis, renal failure, questionnaire, depression, mental health, exercise, cognitive behaviour therapy.