Adolescents’ Adjustment to Chronic Hemodialysis

The author compares the adjustment of 18 adolescents on chronic hemodialysis to that of 63 adult patients on hemodialysis. The adolescents tended to comply less well with the medical regimen, their vocational rehabilitation was significantly lower, and their social activities were more restricted. The adolescents suffered more from the changes in body functioning and appearances. They were more hostile and overtly aggressive but seemed to have fewer psychiatric complications and, especially, less suicidal ideation. The author suggests that chronic disease is especially difficult for adolescents to handle because it creates stress in areas already problematic for this age group.