The patient experience of hemodialysis vascular access decision-making.

ABSTRACT:

Background

To describe vascular access (VA)-related decision-making from the patient perspective, in patients who have already chosen hemodialysis as their renal replacement modality, and identify areas where physicians can improve this experience.

Methods

In-person, semi-structured interviews with 15 patients with end-stage kidney disease were systematically analyzed by two independent researchers using thematic analysis. Interviews were conducted until systematic analysis revealed no new themes.

Results

Patients had mean age 57 (range 22-85), with seven males and diverse racial/ethnic/marital status. All (15/15) patients viewed VA as "intertwined and interrelated" with dialysis, prioritized the dialysis, described the VA merely as the "hookup" to life-preserving dia

SUBMITTER: Woo K 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8216296 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature