Abstract
This study investigated racial differences in the relationship between spouse marital adjustment and dietary adherence of chronic hemodialysis patients. Sixty-eight adult patients and their spouse were subjects. Fifty-two percent of the patients were Caucasians while 48% were Afro-Americans. Spouses completed the Locke-Marital-Questionnaire (LMQ) and provided demographic data pertaining to their patient spouses. The patients’ predialysis potassium levels (indices of food intake compliance) for the previous three months were matched with the respective questionnaires. Afro-American spouses, especially males, evidenced significantly lower marital satisfaction than Caucasian spouses. Afro-American female patients seemed to be most compliant as far as food intake was concerned. Although the spouse LMQ score was negatively correlated with interdialysis weight gain, Afro-Americans who generally scored lower on the LMQ did not differ from Caucasians in so far as their adherence to the dietary regimen was concerned. Implications for improving quality of life of hemodialysis couples in general, and Afro-Americans in particular are discussed.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 69-76 |
| Number of pages | 8 |
| Journal | Psychology and Health |
| Volume | 6 |
| Issue number | 1-2 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - 1 Jan 1992 |
Bibliographical note
Funding Information:t This study was supported in part by a grant awarded to the first author by the American Kidney Fund. $ To whom correspondence should be addressed
Keywords
- Marital adjustment
- adherence
- chronic illness
- compliance
- hemodialysis
- racial differences
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Applied Psychology
- Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health