DEPRESSION AND COPING IN CANDIDATES FOR KIDNEY-TRANSPLANTATION - RACIAL AND ETHNIC-DIFFERENCES

Subjects were 288 adolescents and adults with end-stage renal disease who were candidates for kidney transplantation, a group identified at risk for noncompliance. The purpose was to examine racial and ethnic v ariations in coping-variables that may underlie noncompliance and impa ct upon health outcome. Secondarily, the relationship between depressi on and particular styles of coping was investigated. Race/Ethnicity wa s divided into three categories: Black/Non-Hispanic, White/Non-Hispani c, and Hispanic. Coping and depression were assessed using the COPE an d Beck Depression Inventory, respectively. Results indicated that Hisp anic and Black subjects were more likely to use maladaptive styles of coping and less likely to use adaptive coping than were White subjects and that Black subjects reported more physical symptoms of depression . These findings point to possible mechanisms underlying the occurrenc e of noncompliance and resulting poorer health outcome for individuals of different racial and ethnic groups.