What influences patients’ choice for peritoneal dialysis ? a qualitative study.

Abstract

Abstract
The objective of this study is to determine the factors that influence the choice of peritoneal dialysis (PD) in patients with chronic kidney disease in a dialysis centre in France in the presence of a therapeutic patient education (TPE) program for pre-dialysis patients. To do this, we conducted thirty six semi-directive interviews with physicians, the TPE team and a health executive. We also observed ten TPE sessions to determine the nature of interactions between patients, their caregivers and the TPE team. Our results reveal that the factors that push patients to choose PD are the influence of family members, personal preferences, the gentle method that PD constitutes, the TPE program through the information transmitted by educators. In addition to the influence of these factors in shaping patients’ choice of dialysis method, it may be even more productive to integrate patients partners into TPE programs by sharing their experience as dialysis patients with pre-dialysis ones.