Detalhes do Documento

Acceptance means recognizing and understanding the limitations and losses caused by the disease, being instrumental in the adaptation of the individual to the disease. Objectives: In this study we analyze the acceptance of the disease, translated by some type of disability in individuals with chronic disease. Methods: This is a quantitative descriptive and explanatory study in 210 patients on hemodialysis and 53 diabetic patients, in Portugal. The acceptance was evaluated using the Acceptance of Illness Scale (AIS), (Felton, 1984), with only eight items and which directly focuses on the extent of acceptance of the disease, and analyzed their reliability. Results: The AIS is a scale to measure reliably the acceptance of the disease because it has good internal consistency (Cronbach’s a = 0.794). In descriptive statistics obtained for the behavior of the two samples, we find that the minimum and maximum values observed (10-40) are within the expected range (8-40). We observed no statistically significant differences in outcomes for the two groups analyzed. The hemodialysis and diabetic sample exhibit moderate levels of acceptance of the disease, respectively on average, 22.76/26.93. Conclusions: Regardless of the disease and the impact of your treatment, your acceptance is crucial in the adaptation process, by which healthcare professionals should consider as a positive variable, it is important to review the chronically ill.