Patients' experience of undergoing maintenance hemodialysis. An interview study from Ethiopia

People with kidney failure require renal replacement therapy in the form of dialysis or a kidney transplant for survival. Many facets of their life, both within and outside the dialysis unit, are impacted by the management of this disease. It is important to comprehend the experiences of people undergoing hemodialysis in order to improve the care provided to them. Therefore, this study aimed to explore the experiences of patients undergoing maintenance hemodialysis in Ethiopia.

A qualitative descriptive study was conducted at two healthcare facilities in Ethiopia. Individual interviews with 15 participants (men and women aged 19-63), undergoing hemodialysis in Ethiopia, were analyzed using reflexive thematic analysis.

The analysis resulted in five themes: Feeling grateful, Facing a restricted life, a Supportive environment, Dreaming of a transplant, and Leading a hassled life. The subthemes include Trust in treatment, Faith in God, Challenging fluid and dietary restrictions, Being too fatigued to socialize, Being stigmatized, Family and social support, Supportive healthcare, Lacking a donor and sponsor, COVID-19 as a barrier, Financial constraints, Inaccessibility to care and transport and Access line implantation. Despite being dependent on a machine and having to deal with food and fluid restrictions as well as financial challenges, participants were hopeful and dreamed of a transplant.

From the study's participants, it was discovered that the experiences of people with kidney failure undergoing hemodialysis were generally, considerably negative narratives. Based on the results we recommend development of multidisciplinary teams to better meet patients' physical, emotional, and social needs while undergoing hemodialysis. Such a team should also involve the patient's family members when caring for patients on hemodialysis.