Introduction Objectives of the chapter The purpose of this dissertation was to study religiosity and resilience among persons suffering from chronic renal failure and to determine the relationship of these factors with the socio- demographic and disease related characteristics. This chapter focuses on establishing the conceptual variables, operationally define the factors being studied, iterating the need for the study, and discussing the scope of the study. The chapter also acts as a preface to understand the methods used, and the results obtained through the study. Introduction to chronic illness The changing pattern of morbidity and mortality in both the developed and the emerging world shows that non-communicable, chronic diseases rank …show more content…
There are numerous factors, which cumulatively contribute to a person's resilience. Resilience is a dynamic process whereby individuals exhibit positive behavioural adaptation when they encounter significant adversity or trauma (S.S. Luther, 2000) in (Seville, 2008). Resilience today is seen as a Darwinian variation of survival – necessary evolution, adaptation, and accommodation to stress (Smith, 2002). The word resilience has been derived from the Latin term 'resilire', which means to recoil or leap back and it is mainly related to positive adaptation in the context of a challenge. Resilience is the ability to deal with crisis, understand the potential risk factors associated with the crisis, and develop recovery strategies that permit the individual to cope with and adapt to crisis situations. It is the ability to recover quickly from difficult conditions and respond effectively to crisis. Garmezy (1973) published the first research findings on resilience. He used epidemiology; by studying who gets ill, who does not, and why, uncovering the risks and the “protective factors” that now help define resilience. Resilience studies popularly began with children affected by trauma and ascertaining what are the “protective factors” that play a role in their lives riddled with troubles and trauma, allowing them to have normal lives at the least, and successful careers at the most. Richardson defines resilience as "the process of coping with adversity, change or opportunity in a manner that result in the identification, fortification and enrichment of resilient qualities or protective factors." Research now shows that resilience is the result of individuals being able to interact with their environments and the processes that either promote well-being or protect them against the