PSYCHOSOMATIC ASPECTS OF END-STAGE RENAL-FAILURE

End-stage renal failure (ESRD) is more than a typical chronic disease. Its treatment includes features which arguably make this condition un ique. Selected psychosomatic aspects of ESRD are reviewed, including p sychiatric morbidity, patients' adherence to their treatments, quality of life and the emotional impact on staff involved in treating patien ts with ESRD. Rather than presenting a comprehensive review of the res ults of published research, particular emphasis is laid on the critica l appraisal of the methodology of published studies, to examine the ex tent to which these have provided answers to clinically important ques tions.