Anxiety-depression levels and coping strategies among renal transplant waitlisted and non-waitlisted hemodialysis patients

Background/Aim: Although hemodialysis provides prolonged survival, patients face major challenges, including conflicts about life decisions, limited physical, mental, and lifestyle activities, psychological distress, high prevalence of anxiety and depression symptoms, and compromised health-related quality of life. This study aimed to compare anxiety-depression levels and coping strategies between renal transplant waitlisted and non-waitlisted hemodialysis patients.
Methods: A total of 75 hemodialysis patients were enrolled in this case-control analytical study, including renal transplant waitlisted (n = 35) and non-waitlisted (n = 40) patients. Patients were asked to fill out a questionnaire including socio-demographic characteristics, duration of hemodialysis, the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, and the Ways of Coping Questionnaire. Comparative analyses were performed via Student's t-test and Pearson Correlation test.
Results: The mean age was 57.1 (15.3) years; 56% were males, and being under hemodialysis treatment was 7.3 (5.9) years. Waitlisted and non-waitlisted patients were matched. Overall, 28 patients (37.3%) had anxiety, and 34 patients (45.3%) had depression. There was no significant difference between the two groups regarding depression scores. Anxiety was more common among non-waitlisted than waitlisted patients (P = 0.043). The fatalistic approach was the most common coping strategy applied, and there was a significant negative correlation between anxiety scores and the problem-solving approach (P = 0.034) and a significant positive correlation between depression scores and the helplessness approach (r = 0.234, P = 0.043).
Conclusion: Both waitlisted and non-waitlisted hemodialysis patients have significantly higher levels of depression, with anxiety being higher in non-waitlisted patients. Since coping strategies differed concerning anxiety and depression but not transplant candidacy, psychiatric evaluation and counseling would be essential in hemodialysis patients to control the stressors.