Peer Navigator Intervention for Latinos on Hemodialysis: A Single-Arm Clinical Trial

Latinos with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) have worse mental and kidney composite health-related quality of life (HRQOL) scores compared to non-Latino ESRD patients. Latino ESRD patients uniquely report that social factors (e.g., lack of care coordination, food insecurity, and low health literacy) and mental health influence their HRQOL. We developed a culturally tailored peer navigator (PN) intervention to improve the HRQOL of Latinos on hemodialysis. To determine the feasibility of the PN intervention. Single-arm prospective study. The PN provided individualized support with advance care planning, care coordination, and counseling about the importance of diet and mental health. Latino with ESRD receiving scheduled outpatient thrice-weekly hemodialysis or reliant on emergency-only hemodialysis in Denver. Recruitment, retention rates, data completeness, intervention dose, patient- and staff-reported satisfaction with the intervention. Of 49 eligible patients, 40 (82%) agreed to participate. The majority of participants received scheduled outpatient hemodialysis (75%), 20 were women (50%), with a mean (standard deviation [SD]) age of 56 (13) years. No participants withdrew from the intervention. One participant died. The mean (SD) number of PN visits per participant was 7 (2) and the mean (SD) length of the visits was 97 minutes (49). The majority of visits took place at the hemodialysis facility (59%) and home (27%). The vast majority of participants reported that the PN improved their quality of life as a patient on hemodialysis (95%). The PN intervention achieved feasibility goals and was well received by participants.