Peer Support Interventions for People With CKD: A Scoping Review.

Area of Science:

• Nephrology
• Public Health
• Psychology

Background:

• Chronic kidney disease (CKD) impacts patients emotionally and practically.
• Peer support offers a valuable avenue to address these needs.
• Formalized peer support interventions are increasingly studied in CKD populations.

Purpose of the Study:

• To systematically identify and summarize peer support interventions for individuals with CKD.
• To analyze the characteristics and outcomes of studied peer support programs.
• To identify gaps and opportunities in peer support for kidney disease care.

Main Methods:

• Systematic search of electronic databases and grey literature (March 2023).
• Inclusion of studies of any design detailing peer support interventions and outcomes for CKD patients or caregivers.
• Data extraction using established frameworks and PRISMA extension for scoping reviews; descriptive and thematic synthesis.

Main Results:

• 77 studies described 56 unique peer support interventions, mostly program evaluations or RCTs post-2013.
• Interventions predominantly focused on in-center hemodialysis or mixed CKD groups, integrated within kidney care settings.
• While informational support was common, specialized support (e.g., transplant navigation) was limited; one-third of outcomes showed psychological health improvements.

Conclusions:

• Peer support programming for kidney disease is growing, with diverse formats and delivery methods.
• Significant gaps exist in support for transplant and home dialysis recipients.
• Lack of rigorous evaluations presents opportunities to enhance the impact of peer support in kidney care.