Personality traits and self-care in adults awaiting renal transplant

This article reports the pretransplant findings of the first phase of a thr ee-phase, longitudinal study examining relationships among personality trai ts and self-care abilities and behaviors of Ontario adults pre- and post-re nal transplant. A consortium of Ontario nurse researchers representing thre e of Ontario's five renal transplant centers conducted this research. All a dults on the cadaver transplant lists of 15 Ontario dialysis centers were i nvited to participate. One hundred ninety-eight adults awaiting renal trans plant were enrolled in the study representing a 70% response rare. A cross- sectional, correlational design was used for the pretransplant phase. Self- report measures with known psychometric Properties were used; validity and reliability of the measures were supported by the sample. Data were analyze d using descriptive approaches, correlational analyses, multiple regression , and path analysis. Relationships were supported among selected personalit y traits, health state and self-care abilities and behaviors. Further resea rch to examine personality traits and health state in relation to adult sel f-care is warranted.