Staying On Peritoneal Dialysis: A Qualitative Study On The Experiences Of Black And Latino Patients

Black and Latino patients are disproportionately affected by end-stage renal disease and face significant disparities in treatment, with underuse of peritoneal dialysis and higher conversion rates from home peritoneal dialysis to in-center hemodialysis. With concerted efforts from policy makers to increase the uptake of home dialysis modalities such as peritoneal dialysis, policies to better support Black and Latino patients who receive peritoneal dialysis are greatly needed. Through in-depth, semistructured interviews conducted during the period July 2022-June 2023 in Seattle, Washington, this qualitative study explored the experiences of twelve Black and eight Latino/a participants from a local community-based dialysis organization who were either receiving home peritoneal dialysis or had transferred from home peritoneal dialysis to in-center hemodialysis. Factors that influenced participants' experiences with peritoneal dialysis included poor mental health, the medicalization of the home, and language and cultural barriers. Our findings suggest that policies to improve access to mental health services, promote the use of community spaces for storage of dialysis supplies, and address language and cultural barriers in health care could improve the experiences of Black and Latino patients receiving peritoneal dialysis.