Chronic kidney disease is an irreversible decline in renal function, which can be fatal in the absence of dialysis and transplantation. Hemodialysis causing many physical and psychological problems, such as depression, anxiety, stress and inefficiency in patient, which should be considered in health promotion intervention.

Objectives: To assess the level of depression, anxiety, stress among patients undergoing hemodialysis. To assess coping strategies among patients undergoing hemodialysis. To assess correlation between depression, anxiety, stress and coping strategies among patients undergoing hemodialysis. To find the association between the depression, anxiety, stress among patients undergoing hemodialysis with selected demographic variables and clinical variables. To find the association between coping strategies among patients undergoing hemodialysis with selected demographic variables and clinical variables.

Methodology: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted in A.C.S Medical College and Hospital and Government Medical College Hospital, Thiruvallur. The 100 samples who fulfilled the inclusion criteria were selected by using purposive sampling technique. The tool used to collect data were demographic proforma, DASS-21 and brief COPE inventory.

Findings: The study findings revealed that among 100 patients undergoing hemodialysis 74(74%) had extreme severe depression, 46(46%) had mild anxiety, 48(48%) had mild stress, 60(60%) had low level of problem-focused coping, 59(59%) had average level of emotion- focused coping, 62(62%) had low level of avoidant coping. However, the overall analysis of coping strategies among patients undergoing hemodialysis revealed that 93(93%) had average coping and 7(7%) had low level of coping. The calculated Karl Pearson’s Correlation value of ‘r’ between depression (r= - 0.324), anxiety (r= -0.348), stress (r= -0.303) showed a negligible negative correlation with coping strategies, which was found to be statistically significant at p<0.001. The demographic variable occupation (x²=28.975, p=0.024), marital status (x²=21.482, p=0.044) had shown statistically significant association with level of depression, anxiety. Respectively occupation (x²=43.532, p=0.0001) had shown statistically significant association with level of stress. The clinical variable how many years did you receive hemodialysis (x²=22.358, p=0.034), how many days in a week, did you receive hemodialysis (x²=20.637, p=0.008), family history of renal problem (x²=11.405, p=0.022) and access for hemodialysis (x²=13.211, p=0.010) had shown statistically significant association with level of depression, stress among patients undergoing hemodialysis at p<0.05 level. The demographic variable marital status (x²=10.442, p=0.015) had shown statistically significant association with level of coping strategies among patients undergoing hemodialysis at p<0.05.

Conclusion: The findings of the study showed that the patients undergoing hemodialysis has extreme severe depression, mild level of anxiety and stress. Patient using average level of coping strategies. The study pointed out the importance of reducing the depression, anxiety, stress and improving coping strategies among patients undergoing hemodialysis.