This cross-sectional study examined the influence of illness perception of health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in end
stage renal disease (ESRD) patients on either hemodialysis (HD) or continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD).
The Short Form-36 (SF-36) was used to measure HRQoL which comprised the Physical Component Summary (PCS) and
Mental Component Summary (MCS). Illness perception was evaluated using Revised Illness Perception Questionnaire
(IPQ-R). Both questionnaires were administered on 183 HD and 93 CAPD patients. The results showed that almost all
HRQoL subscales except physical functioning and bodily pain were found to be significantly different between HD and
CAPD patients. There are significant correlations between most components of illness perception with HRQoL. Significant
illness perception predictors of PCS among HD patients were time line, consequences, cyclical and identity, whereas on
CAPD patients were time line, illness coherence, emotional, cyclical and identity. Significant illness perception predictors
of MCS among HD patients included time line, cyclical and identity and only time line was significant predictor of MCS on
CAPD patients. These should be considered when developing intervention programmes to improve their HRQoL.