Objective:To study alexithymia and its cor related factors in hem odialysis patients.Methods:To compare 30 hemodi alysis patients of end s tage renal disease and 30 normal controls with the Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS),Self-Rating Anxiety Scale(SAS),Self-Rating Depression Scale (SDS) a nd the General Information Questionnaire.Results:1.A high prevalence of alexithy mia (53.33%) was observed in hemodialysis patients.Hemodialysis patients group s howed significantly higher scores than the normal groups on the total score,Ⅰan d Ⅱfact or score of TAS,the standard scores of SAS and SDS (P<0.05). 2.There was po si tive correlation between the total score of TAS and the standard score of SAS an d SDS(P<0.05), and negative correlation between the total score of TAS and e ducat ion levels in hemodialysis patients group.Conclusion:The p revalence of alexithym ia was high in hemodialysis patients.The degree of alexithymia was more puonounc ed in patients with significant problems of anxiety and depression and in patien ts with lower levels of education.
