Abstract: Objective To survey the big five structure personality in maintenance hemodialysis (MHD) patients in Chongqing, and to explore the relationship between personality and depression and anxiety in these patients. Methods A total of 237 MHD patients were randomly recruited from 3 hospitals in Chongqing as the MHD group. They were assessed by the Chinese Big Five Personality Inventory brief version (CBF-PI-B) and Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale. Meanwhile, 157 healthy persons were also assessed by CBF-PI-B as the control group. Personality differences were compared between the two groups, and relationship between personality and depression and anxiety was also evaluated in MHD patients using correlation and regression analyses. Results Neuroticism and agreeableness scores were significantly higher in MHD group than in control group (t=2.35, P＜0.05, and t=6.82, P＜0.01, respectively). Extraversion and openness scores were negatively correlated with depression (r=-0.359, P＜0.01 and r=-0.288, P＜0.01, respectively). Neuroticism was positively correlated with depression and anxiety (r=0.388, P＜0.01 and r=0.404, P＜0.01, respectively). The predictability of extraversion, openness and neuroticism for depression was up to 28%. Conclusion MHD patients were prone to contact people, and also to be irritable, sensitive and nervous. MHD patients with higher score of neuroticism, and lower scores of extraversion and openness were susceptible to have depression.

Key words: Maintenance hemodialysis, the big five structure personality, depression, anxiety