Social adjustment of chronic dialysis patients.

The author gathered information by questionnaire about the leisure activities of 102 patients receiving chronic hemodialysis. The patients reported a severe decrease in interest, especially in family and social leisure activities, and an even greater decrease in actual participation in leisure activities. The results indicate that hemodialysis patients do not suppress or deny the many problems they experience. The author hypothesizes that the paucity of information in this area is probably linked to the denial of the staff who treat these patients. The sharp decline in the leisure activities to the group studied suggests the need to devise methods of intervention to improve the quality of life of chronic dialysis patients.