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The peritoneal dialysis experience: insights from long-term patients
Roberta Braun Curtin1, H Keith Johnson, Dorian Schatell
1Medical Education Institute, Madison, WI, USA.
Summary
Patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) on peritoneal dialysis (PD) for over four years demonstrated self-management through autonomy and achieving normality. These findings inform interventions to support PD patients.
Area of Science:
- Nephrology
- Patient Self-Management
- Renal Replacement Therapy
Background:
- End-stage renal disease (ESRD) necessitates long-term management strategies.
- Peritoneal dialysis (PD) is a significant renal replacement therapy requiring active patient involvement.
- Understanding patient self-management is crucial for optimizing PD outcomes.
Purpose of the Study:
- To identify dimensions of self-management in long-term peritoneal dialysis (PD) patients.
- To explore the lived experiences of patients managing end-stage renal disease (ESRD) with PD.
- To provide a foundation for developing supportive interventions for PD patients.
Main Methods:
- Exploratory-descriptive study utilizing semi-structured interviews.
- 18 patients with over 4 years of successful PD treatment participated.
- Content analysis of verbatim interview transcriptions was performed.
Main Results:
- Two primary self-management domains were identified: autonomy/control in healthcare and normality in everyday life.
- Autonomy/control included partnership in care, self-care, and self-care self-efficacy.
- Normality encompassed flexibility/freedom, interpretation of illness severity, and body image perception.
Conclusions:
- Long-term PD patients exhibit distinct self-management dimensions.
- Insights gained can guide the development of interventions for decision-making and self-management support.
- Healthcare professionals can leverage these findings to better assist patients undergoing PD.