Well-Being and Health in Kidney Failure: A Scoping Review

Abstract

Background: Kidney failure (KF) is associated with impaired physical function, reduced health-related quality of life, increased health care costs, and high rates of cardiovascular complications and mortality. Among individuals with KF, well-being and related constructs, such as positive affect, optimism, self-efficacy, and resilience, may have both mental and physical health benefits, independent of the effects of negative emotions and affective syndromes. However, there has been minimal review of these characteristics in people with KF.

Objective: We conducted a scoping review, using a semi-systematic approach, to summarize the relationships between well-being characteristics and renal health, the potential mechanisms mediating these relationships, and the effects of interventions that promote positive constructs on adherence and health outcomes.

Methods: We conducted database searches using PubMed and PsycINFO until November 2020. Articles were included if they examined (1) relationships between a well-being construct and health outcome in patients with KF, (2) potential biologic or behavioral mediators, or (3) interventions that target positive psychologic constructs as outcomes or mediators in KF and (4) were written in English or Spanish.

Results: Among patients with KF, well-being constructs are associated with increased health-related quality of life, reduced morbidity and complications, and increased survival. Potential mechanisms mediating these associations include reduced inflammation, improved autonomic and endothelial function, and improved health behavior adherence. Psychologic and psychosocial interventions promoting well-being have primarily focused on improving self-efficacy to promote behavior change, with limited study of interventions to promote positive psychologic constructs in this population.

Conclusions: Further research is needed to better understand the relationship between well-being constructs and health, specific to KF populations. This could inform the development of needed interventions that harness the promotion of other positive characteristics to improve well-being and health.

Keywords: dialysis; kidney failure; optimism; self-efficacy; well-being.