Relationship between coping strategies, quality of life and emotional health when living with retinitis pigmentosa

Abstract

Background: Retinitis pigmentosa is a degenerative eye condition and identifying key factors to successfully self-manage this condition is important. This study investigated the relationship between engaging (ECS) and disengaging coping strategies (DCS), vision-related quality of life (VRQoL) and emotional health (EH) in adults living at home with retinitis pigmentosa. Method: A cross-sectional, questionnaire study was completed by 105 participants (70 female; mean age 47). Participants completed the following measures: Coping Strategies Inventory - Short Form, the National Eye Institute Visual Functioning Questionnaire 25, Marylands Trait Depression Scale, the Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Well-being Scale and the Subjective Happiness Scale. A two-block hierarchical multiple regression was conducted. Findings: ECS and DCS impacted psychosocial aspects of VRQoL but not overall VRQoL; ECS had a positive association with these psychosocial VRQoL variables (mental health: t=3.45, p<.01; dependency: t=2.11, p<.05) and DCS had a negative association (general health: t=-2.98, p<.01, mental health: t=-5.70, p<.001; role difficulties: t=2.90, p<.01; dependency: t=-3.71, p<.001). EH improved with ECS (depression: t=-2.24, p<.05; mental wellbeing: t=3.74, p<.001; general happiness with life: t=3.74, p<.001) and declined with DCS (depression: t=6.07, p<.001; mental wellbeing: t=-3.21, p<.01; general happiness with life: t=-3.73, p<.001). VRQoL and EH decreased more with increasing DCS than VRQoL and EH improved with increasing ECS. Conclusion: Although ECS improved VRQoL and EH, DCS had a larger impact suggesting that reducing DCS should be prioritised over developing ECS with regards to positively influencing VRQoL and EH in those living with retinitis pigmentosa.