Learning Objective #1: Describe psychosocial adjustment to illness in individuals living with an inherited bleeding disorder

Learning Objective #2: Determine if perception of illness impact has a direct or mediating effect between health stressors and health-related hardiness

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An individual who is diagnosed with an inherited bleeding disorder is expected to manage their condition on a daily basis. This chronic situation can totally disrupt psychosocial functioning and make it more difficult to adjust to the illness. Other researchers have studied this phenomenon in various other chronic illnesses; however, not in individuals with inherited bleeding disorders (Akkasilpa, et al, 2000, Pollack, 1989a, 1989b). Psychosocial problems are not restricted to individuals with one chronic illness and clinically, it is noted that some individuals adjust to chronic diseases better than others. Individuals living with inherited bleeding disorders may also have other chronic illnesses such as hypertension, asthma, Diabetes mellitus (DM), Congestive Heart Failure (CHF), arthritis, and hepatitis A, B, C and/or HIV. The aims of this study are to describe health stressors, health related hardiness, perception of illness impact, self perception of health status and psychosocial adjustment to illness in individuals living with an inherited bleeding disorder; to determine relationships between health stressors, health related hardiness, perception of illness impact, self perception of health status and psychosocial adjustment to illness; determine if perception of illness impact has a direct and/or mediating effect on the relationship between health stressors, health related hardiness, and self-perception of health status and psychosocial adjustment to illness.