Social Support in the Peritoneal Dialysis Experience: A Qualitative Descriptive Study

Area of Science:

• Nephrology
• Social Sciences

Background:

• End-stage kidney disease (ESKD) management includes conservative care or kidney replacement therapy (KRT).
• Peritoneal dialysis (PD), a cost-effective KRT, is often home-based, creating a self-care burden for patients and families.
• Social support is vital for PD patients but has been under-explored in existing literature.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore the perspectives of patients, family members, and nurses on social support within the context of peritoneal dialysis.
• To identify the different types of social support needed by patients and their caregivers undergoing PD.

Main Methods:

• A qualitative, descriptive study was conducted in a Western Canadian outpatient PD clinic.
• Interviews were held with 15 patients, 6 family members, and 11 nurses between January and May 2018.
• Content analysis utilized a framework of four social support attributes: emotional, instrumental, informational, and appraisal support.

Main Results:

• Key themes emerged across the four attributes of social support: emotional needs and emotion management; PD and life tasks; information access and learning; and affirmation and self-confidence.
• Both patients and family members expressed diverse social support needs influenced by their existing networks and personal views.
• Variations in support needs highlight the individualized nature of PD care.

Conclusions:

• Home-based PD offers benefits but necessitates comprehensive support systems for patients and families.
• Healthcare providers must understand and address the multifaceted social support requirements to effectively promote PD.
• Findings may be context-specific and potentially influenced by participant demographics, suggesting further research with diverse samples.