Burden of living with multiple concurrent symptoms in patients with end‐stage renal disease

Nephrologists' perspectives and experiences with hospice among older adults with end-stage kidney disease

BACKGROUND

Hospice care leads to improved patient and family outcomes. Hospice use among older adults with end-stage kidney disease (ESKD) is markedly lower than among older adults with other serious illnesses, and the majority of those with ESKD who use hospice enroll in the last days of life. Here, our aim was to explore barriers to timely receipt of high-quality hospice care for older adults with ESKD.

METHODS

Utilizing a qualitative study design, we conducted a secondary analysis focused on hospice, a theme that we identified in our larger overarching study that involved semi-structured interviews with 20 nephrologists in the United States focused on treatment decision-making in older adults with advanced chronic kidney disease. We analyzed the interview transcripts using emergent thematic analysis to develop an understanding of barriers to high-quality hospice.

RESULTS

With a couple notable exceptions, nephrologists voiced general support for the concept of hospice, but few recalled patients of theirs who had received hospice. Nephrologists' interviews revealed two interrelated contributors to the lack of timely access to high-quality hospice care for seriously ill older adults with ESKD: (1) nephrologists view dialysis and hospice as mutually exclusive models of care; (2) nephrologists feel unsure who should manage hospice care for patients with ESKD. The first contributor was rooted in nephrologists' narrow vision of when to consider hospice (informed, in part, by policy barriers) and, in a couple of cases, strong discomfort with hospice. The second stemmed from nephrologists' belief that neither they nor hospice are adequately prepared to provide hospice care for ESKD.

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings suggest that, in addition to Medicare policy change, nephrologists need to receive more training in primary palliative care skills including in indications for hospice, initiating conversations about hospice with patients, and collaborating with hospice clinicians to care for these vulnerable patients.

Living normally without being oneself: A qualitative study on the experience of living with advanced chronic kidney disease

The aim of the study was to describe and analyze the experience of people with advanced chronic kidney disease. Chronic kidney disease is a growing public health problem that is on the increase worldwideThe experience of living with this illness is paradoxical, as it can include feelings of dependent autonomy, distant connection, abnormal normalcy, and uncertain hope. Every chronic disease involves a biographical alteration from the onset. For those who suffer it, it implies a breaking down and reconstruction of their everyday life. Despite the prevalence of the disease and the increase in the number of qualitative research studies in recent decades, there has not been much research on the experience of people with Chronic kidney disease. This is a qualitative study that began in 2018 and concluded in 2021.Twenty-one people with advanced chronic kidney disease were interviewed. They participated voluntarily with informed consent Participants were selected by purposive sampling. Data analysis was guided by grounded theory procedures using the Nvivo 12 software. This study reveals that people with advanced chronic kidney disease do not feel the same as they used to because their control over their lives is limited; because they feel their health is in a continuous state of deterioration; and because of the changes in themselves and in their relationships with others. With chronic kidney disease, their identity is continually called into question. The normal lives of these people-their biographical constructions-are precarious and are continuously being remodelled by the effects of treatment and the inexorable course of this disease. This study contributes to an understanding of the experience of people with advanced chronic kidney disease. It can contribute to helping health care professionals effectively support these patients in their efforts to lead a normal life and in making decisions about their treatment.

Hope, quality of life, and psychological distress in patients on peritoneal dialysis: A cross-sectional study

Hope is a goal-directed thought that reflects the sense of control over uncertainties and can promote adjustment to chronic illness. This study aimed to assess the level of hope among patients on peritoneal dialysis and evaluate the association of hope with health-related quality of life and psychological distress. This cross-sectional study included 134 Chinese patients receiving peritoneal dialysis in Hong Kong. Patients' level of hope was assessed using the Adult Trait Hope Scale. Participants who were employed, had a higher income, and received automated peritoneal dialysis reported a higher hope score. Hope was found to have significant correlations with age and social support. A higher hope score was associated with better mental well-being and less severe depressive symptoms. Specific relationships between agency/pathway thinking and these outcomes were identified. The patient subgroups at risk for losing hope need to be identified and received early interventions to prevent adverse outcomes.

The symptom experience of newly diagnosed Chinese patients with Crohn's disease: A longitudinal qualitative study

AIMS

To longitudinally explore the symptom experience of Chinese patients with Crohn's disease within the first year following their diagnosis.

DESIGN

A longitudinal qualitative study.

METHOD

Eighteen newly diagnosed Chinese patients with Crohn's disease were recruited through purposive sampling. Semi-structured interviews were conducted at four time points: soon after diagnosis, 3, 6 and 12 months post-diagnosis. Data were collected between January 2021 and February 2022. Conventional content analysis was used for data analysis of each time point. Afterwards, the data of each time point were compared longitudinally. COREQ checklist was followed.

RESULTS

Three themes and eight sub-themes were formed through analysis: feelings towards symptoms (symptoms make me feel uneasy, symptoms make me feel inferior and symptoms make me feel helpless); acceptability of symptoms (difficult to accept, have to accept, be able to accept); functions of symptoms (assessing disease conditions and treatment effects, warning of disease management).

CONCLUSIONS

Overall, the negative emotions related to symptoms gradually decreased over time, and the patient's acceptance of symptoms increased within the first year following diagnosis. In addition, when the disease was in remission after treatment, the warning function of symptoms gradually weakened.

IMPACT

The process of how patients accept their symptoms found in this study provides a basis for nurses to improve patients' acceptance of symptoms and reduce their symptom-related negative emotions. This study also emphasizes the phenomenon that patients gradually ignore some symptoms with their increased acceptance level, which warrants additional health education to strengthen their awareness of self-management.

PATIENT OR PUBLIC CONTRIBUTION

No patient or public contribution was required to design or undertake this study. Patients contributed only to the data collection and member checking.

The association between socioeconomic status and health-related quality of life among young and middle-aged maintenance hemodialysis patients: multiple mediation modeling

Objective

To explore the relationship between socioeconomic status (SES), illness perception, social functioning, and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) of young and middle-aged maintenance hemodialysis (MHD) patients and the internal mechanism of action.

Design

A multicenter cross-sectional study.

Methods

An aggregate of 332 young and middle-aged MHD patients were enrolled from hemodialysis centers in four general hospitals in Guangzhou, Guangdong, China, from June to December 2022. The questionnaires used included one for general demographic data, the Brief Illness Perception Questionnaire (BIPQ), Social Dysfunction Screening Scale (SDSS), and the 12-item Short Form Health Survey (SF-12).

Results

Both SES and HRQoL were negatively correlated with illness perception and social functioning, respectively. SES was positively correlated with HRQoL. Illness perception was positively correlated with social functioning. The indirect effects of illness perception and social functioning on the relationship between SES and HRQoL were 0.33 and 0.31, making up 41.06% and 38.91% of the sum. The chain indirect effect of illness perception and social functioning was 0.10, making up 12.59% of the total effect, while gender did not play a moderating role.

Conclusion

Illness perception and social functioning may independently and accumulatively mediate the association between SES and HRQoL. Nurses should consider developing individual intervention program for young and middle-aged MHD patients with low SES, focusing on establishing targeted counseling and health education strategies corresponding to illness perception and social functioning to help patients improve their HRQoL.

Loneliness at end-of-life: A scoping review

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES

To map and synthesise the literature on loneliness at end-of-life and identify key knowledge gaps in loneliness research.

BACKGROUND

Declined health conditions, reduced social engagement, loss of social roles, and fear of death may lead to loneliness at end-of-life. However, systematic information about loneliness at end-of-life is scant.

METHODS

This scoping review followed the methodology proposed by Arksey and O'Malley. Nine electronic databases were searched from January 2001 to July 2022. Studies about loneliness at end-of-life were included. Two review authors independently screened and selected relevant studies and performed the data charting. The PAGER framework was employed to collate, summarise and report the results. The PRISMA-ScR checklist was included.

RESULTS

A total of 23 studies were included in this review (12 qualitative, 10 quantitative, and one mixed-methods design). There was not reliable data about the prevalence of loneliness among adults at end-of-life internationally. Three or 20-item UCLA loneliness scale was frequently used to measure loneliness. Factors predisposed adults at end-of-life to loneliness included passive and active withdrawal from social networks, inability to share emotions and to be understood, and inadequate support on spirituality. Four strategies were identified to alleviate loneliness, yet none have been substantiated in clinical trials. Interventions facilitating spirituality, social interactions and connectedness seem effective in alleviating loneliness.

CONCLUSIONS

This is the first scoping review on loneliness at end-of-life, synthesising evidence from qualitative, quantitative, and mixed-methods studies. Loneliness among adults at end-of-life is under-investigated and there is a prominent need to address existential loneliness at end-of-life.

RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE

All nurses should proactively assess loneliness or perceived social isolation for clients with life-limiting conditions, regardless of social networks. Collaborative efforts (e.g., medical-social collaborations) to promote self-worthiness, social engagement and connectedness with significant others and social networks are needed.

PATIENT OR PUBLIC CONTRIBUTION

No patient or public involvement.

'Life became slow down': A descriptive qualitative study of the experiences of cancer-related fatigue amongst people with advanced lung cancer

BACKGROUND

Cancer-related fatigue is a complex multidimensional concept. However, little is known about the experience of cancer-related fatigue in people with advanced lung cancer. How they emotionally react to and cope with the experience of cancer-related fatigue according to cultural influences has not been extensively explored.

AIM

To explore the experience of cancer-related fatigue, its impacts and emotional reactions to and coping strategies for cancer-related fatigue amongst people with advanced lung cancer in China.

DESIGN

This was a cross-sectional, descriptive qualitative study with face-to-face semi-structured interviews. Data were analysed using content analysis.

SETTING/PARTICIPANTS

Twenty-one people with advanced lung cancer who experienced cancer-related fatigue were recruited in a hospital setting.

RESULTS

Four themes were identified: multifaceted experiences of cancer-related fatigue, impacts of cancer-related fatigue, negative perceptions of cancer-related fatigue and avoiding cancer-related fatigue. The multifaceted experience of cancer-related fatigue had physical, psychological and social impacts along the cancer trajectory. Informants regarded it as a sign of a 'bad ending', searched for root causes and had negative attitudes towards role changes. Avoiding coping strategies included not discussing cancer-related fatigue, refusing encouragement and support, hiding feelings, withdrawing from social life and attempting to control cancer-related fatigue.

CONCLUSION

The findings provide insights into the lack of flexibility of people with advanced lung cancer to adapt to the multidimensional experience of cancer-related fatigue. The reactions and coping towards cancer-related fatigue are profoundly influenced by Chinese culture. Developing psychological interventions based on the cultural background are highly recommended to cultivate the ability to cope flexibly with stressful events and live a meaningful cancer life.

Health inequity associated with financial hardship among patients with kidney failure

Financial hardship is a common challenge among patients with kidney failure and may have negative health consequences. Therefore, financial status is regarded as an important determinant of health, and its impact needs to be investigated. This cross-sectional study aimed to identify the differences in patient-reported and clinical outcomes among kidney failure patients with different financial status. A total of 354 patients with kidney failure were recruited from March to June 2017 at two hospitals in Hong Kong. The Dialysis Symptoms Index and Kidney Disease Quality of Life-36 were used to evaluate patient-reported outcomes. Clinical outcomes were retrieved from medical records and assessed using the Karnofsky Performance Scale (functional status) and Charlson Comorbidity Index (comorbidity level). Patients were stratified using two dichotomised variables, employment status and income level, and their outcomes were compared using independent sample t-tests and Mann-Whitney U-tests. In this sample, the employment rate was 17.8% and the poverty rate was 61.2%. Compared with other patients, increased distress of specific symptoms and higher healthcare utilization, in terms of more emergency room visits and longer hospital stays, were found in patients with poorer financial status. Low-income patients reported a decreased mental quality of life. Financially underprivileged patients experienced health inequity in terms of impaired outcomes. Attention needs to be paid to these patients by providing financial assessments and interventions. Additional research is warranted to confirm these findings and understand the experience of financial hardship and health equity.

Exploration of symptom clusters during hemodialysis and symptom network analysis of older maintenance hemodialysis patients: a cross-sectional study

BACKGROUND

Symptom networks can provide empirical evidence for the development of personalized and precise symptom management strategies. However, few studies have established networks of symptoms experienced by older patients on maintenance hemodialysis. Our goal was to examine the type of symptom clusters of older maintenance hemodialysis patients during dialysis and construct a symptom network to understand the symptom characteristics of this population.

METHODS

The modified Dialysis Symptom Index was used for a cross-sectional survey. Network analysis was used to analyze the symptom network and node characteristics, and factor analysis was used to examine symptom clusters.

RESULTS

A total of 167 participants were included in this study. The participants included 111 men and 56 women with a mean age of 70.05 ± 7.40. The symptom burdens with the highest scores were dry skin, dry mouth, itching, and trouble staying asleep. Five symptom clusters were obtained from exploratory factor analysis, of which the clusters with the most severe symptom burdens were the gastrointestinal discomfort symptom cluster, sleep disorder symptom cluster, skin discomfort symptom cluster, and mood symptom cluster. Based on centrality markers, it could be seen that feeling nervous and trouble staying asleep had the highest strength, and feeling nervous and feeling irritable had the highest closeness and betweenness.

CONCLUSIONS

Hemodialysis patients have a severe symptom burden and multiple symptom clusters. Dry skin, itching, and dry mouth are sentinel symptoms in the network model; feeling nervous and trouble staying asleep are core symptoms of patients; feeling nervous and feeling irritable are bridge symptoms in this symptom network model. Clinical staff can formulate precise and efficient symptom management protocols for patients by using the synergistic effects of symptoms in the symptom clusters based on sentinel symptoms, core symptoms, and bridge symptoms.

Sickness Symptoms in Kidney Transplant Recipients: A Scoping Review

Sickness symptoms (depressive symptoms, anxiety, and fatigue) are common among people with chronic illness, often presenting as a symptom cluster. Sickness symptoms persist in many patients with chronic kidney disease, even after kidney transplantation (KT); however, little is known about sickness symptom-induced burden in KT recipients. This scoping review synthesizes available evidence for sickness symptoms in KT recipients, including findings on symptom prevalence, predictors, outcomes, interrelationships, and clustering. Among 38 reviewed studies, none identified sickness symptoms as a cluster, but we observed interrelationships among the symptoms examined. Fatigue was the most prevalent sickness symptom, followed by anxiety and depressive symptoms. Predictors of these symptoms included demographic, clinical, and psychosocial factors, and health-related quality of life was the most researched outcome. Future research should use common data elements to phenotype sickness symptoms, include biological markers, and employ sophisticated statistical methods to identify potential clustering of sickness symptoms in KT recipients.

Experience of living with symptom clusters in postoperative pancreatic cancer patients

OBJECTIVE

The purpose of this study was to describe symptom clusters (SCs), and symptom experiences in early postoperative patients with pancreatic cancer who are recovering at home.

METHODS

From October 2021 and April 2022,15 patients following pancreatic cancer surgery were recruited from a tertiary hospital in Jiangsu Province by maximum variation sampling. Semi-structured interviews were performed to collect data and thematic analysis was conducted to analyze the data.

RESULTS

Three themes were extracted from the data. The first theme "difference in symptom perception and cognition" illustrated factors such as patient knowledge, expected recovery status, and risk perception could influence patient symptom experience. Most patients actually reported fewer and less severe symptoms than previous studies. The second theme "the results of symptom cluster" demonstrated anorexia-distress SC, bowel-digestive related SC and sleep disturbance related SC, and anorexia-distress SC should be considered as the priority SC given its multidimensional significance for patients. The last theme described the patient's positive attitudes, behaviours and barriers to coping with symptoms, namely "symptom self-management experience".

CONCLUSION

There are differences in the perception and interpretation of SCs in postoperative pancreatic cancer patients. Understanding the meaning of individual differences in the experience of symptoms can assist patients in the management of SCs. Medical staff should combine patient self-management strategies and evidence-based data to provide appropriate support at different stages to improve patient symptom management and quality of life.

The relationship between the perception of chronic disease care and health-related quality of life in adults with chronic kidney disease

OBJECTIVES

In this study, it was aimed to determine the chronic disease care assessments and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) levels in adults with chronic kidney disease (CKD) undergoing hemodialysis and to reveal the relationship between chronic disease care assessment and HRQoL.

METHODS

A single-center cross-sectional design has been used. Data were collected from 105 adults with CKD, who undergoing hemodialysis. Patient Evaluation Chronic Illness Care (PACIC) scale and Kidney Disease Quality of Life Short Form-36 (KDQOL-36) were used to obtain data.

RESULTS

The mean scale scores of PACIC were low (2.66 ± 0.891). Although participants achieved high HRQoL scores on the symptoms subdimension of the KDQoL-36 scale, they got low scores on the subdimensions of mental health, physical health, and burden of disease. Participants' HRQoL is affected significantly by gender, age, educational level, working status, income, and presence of comorbidity (especially diabetes), diagnosis time of CKD, and hemodialysis time at the hospital (p < 0.05). A positive and statistically significant relationship was found between PACIC and subdimensions of KDQoL-36 (p < 0.05).

DISCUSSION

The results can be a guide for improving the quality of chronic disease care in healthcare institutions. To improve this, patients' evaluations on this issue should be taken into account.

Exploring social capital for family caregivers of patients with chronic organ failure: study protocol for a concept mapping study

INTRODUCTION

Many family caregivers experience significant burdens, especially those who take care of patients with chronic organ failure. Although the social welfare system offers some material assistance, a more sustainable approach to supporting caregivers is warranted. This study aims to explore the social capital (ie, the internal strengths of a community that facilitate different social roles) available for these family caregivers.

METHODS AND ANALYSIS

A participatory design based on Trochim's concept mapping framework will be used in this study. A total of 119 participants, including patients, family caregivers, professionals and other community members, will be recruited from the community. The study will be divided into three phases. In Phase I, qualitative methods will be used to prepare and generate statements. Participants will be asked to share their views on social capital for family caregivers through interviews. In Phase II, quantitative methods will be used to arrange these statements into a concept map, and participants will be asked to complete a questionnaire to prioritise the statements. Statistical methods will be used to create a map based on the responses. In Phase III, the concept map will be used to formulate action plans. The findings will be presented to the public to produce recommendations for social policy.

ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION

This study was approved by The Chinese University of Hong Kong Survey and Behavioural Research Ethics Committee (Reference No.: SBRE-20-714). Informed consent will be obtained from all participants. This study will reveal which forms of social capital can be mobilised to support family caregivers of patients with chronic organ failure. Recommendations on policies to improve the caregiving experience, strengthen social capital and enhance social care will be produced. Findings will be disseminated through academic conferences and journals, as well as local media to create a greater social impact.

TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER

ChiCTR2100044171.

Palliative Care in Older People with Multimorbidities: A Scoping Review on the Palliative Care Needs of Patients, Carers, and Health Professionals

Although numerous studies have been conducted previously on the needs of cancer patients at the end of their life, there is a lack of studies focused on older patients with non-oncological complex chronic multipathologies. Examining these needs would help to gain a greater understanding of the profile of this specific population within the palliative care (PC) pathway and how the health and care systems can address them. The aim of this review was to identify the needs influencing PC among older patients with multimorbidities, their relatives or informal caregivers, and the health professionals who provide care for these patients. A scoping literature review guided by the Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR) checklist was carried out with literature searched in the Medline, Embase, CINAHL, WoS, Cochrane Library, PsycINFO, and Scopus databases from 2009 to 2022. Eighty-one studies were included, demonstrating a great variety of unaddressed needs for PC among chronic older patients and the complexity in detecting those needs and how to refer them to PC pathways. This review also suggested a scarcity of tools and limited pathways for professionals to satisfy their needs for these patients and their families, who often felt ignored by the system. Substantial changes will be needed in health and care systems at the institutional level, providing more specialized PC environments and systematizing PC processes.

Development of A Nurse-Led Educational Intervention Program in Managing the Nutrition Impact Symptom Cluster in Patients with Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma following the Medical Research Council Framework

Objective:

This article aimed to report the experience of developing a complex nurse-led, theory-driven, and evidence-based educational intervention program intended to manage the nutrition impact symptom cluster experienced by patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) during radiotherapy, based on the Medical Research Council (MRC) framework.

Methods:

The “development” and “feasibility and piloting” phases of the MRC framework were used to guide the intervention development. The development phase included identifying the evidence base through a systematic review, exploring the relevant and guiding theory to enhance the effectiveness of the intervention and conducting a qualitative study to identify the intervention modelling. For the feasibility and piloting phase, we conducted a pilot study to examine the feasibility and estimate the effectiveness of the intervention.

Results:

The systematic review revealed that nurse-led educational interventions were used commonly for symptom cluster management, with promising effectiveness. The theoretical foundation was provided by the Theory of Unpleasant Symptoms, which indicates that an educational intervention can help patients to manage symptom cluster by influencing psychological, situational, and physiological factors. The qualitative study further provided contents of the intervention based on the perspectives of NPC patients and health professionals. The resulting program involves a nurse-led, family caregiver involvement, educational intervention with two sessions that uses a booklet as a medium. The pilot study found that conducting the educational intervention program was feasible and it also had some favorable effects on managing the nutrition impact symptom cluster in NPC patients.

Conclusions:

The MRC framework provided a strong structure with which to develop a complex intervention for nutrition impact symptom cluster management through a theory-driven and evidence-based approach. The evaluation of the intervention, the delivery process and the mediation mechanism of change using a rigorous randomized controlled trial design is recommended.

Association between Financial Hardship and Symptom Burden in Patients Receiving Maintenance Dialysis: A Systematic Review

BACKGROUND

Many patients on maintenance dialysis experience financial hardship. Existing studies are mainly cost analyses that quantify financial hardship in monetary terms, but an evaluation of its impact is also warranted. This review aims to explore the definition of financial hardship and its relationship with symptom burden among patients on dialysis.

METHODS

A literature search was conducted in November 2020, using six electronic databases. Studies published in English that examined the associations between financial hardship and symptom burden were selected. Two reviewers independently extracted data and appraised the studies by using the JBI Critical Appraisal Checklists.

RESULTS

Fifty cross-sectional and seven longitudinal studies were identified. Studies used income level, employment status, healthcare funding, and financial status to evaluate financial hardship. While relationships between decreased income, unemployment, and overall symptom burden were identified, evidence suggested that several symptoms, including depression, fatigue, pain, and sexual dysfunction, were more likely to be associated with changes in financial status.

CONCLUSION

Our findings suggest that poor financial status may have a negative effect on physical and psychological well-being. However, a clear definition of financial hardship is warranted. Improving this assessment among patients on dialysis may prompt early interventions and minimize the negative impact of financial hardship.

Managing the nutrition impact symptom cluster in patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma using an educational intervention program: A pilot study

PURPOSE

This study aimed to test the feasibility and estimate the effectiveness of a theory-driven and evidence-based educational intervention program to manage the nutrition impact symptom cluster in patients undergoing radiotherapy for nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC).

METHODS

A pilot randomized controlled trial was performed. Forty patients were divided equally into the intervention and control groups. The patients in the intervention group attended 2 face-to-face individual instructional sessions to enhance their knowledge and skills in managing the cluster. The study outcomes were the severity of the nutrition impact symptom cluster, body weight, symptom interference, and quality of life (QOL). A generalized estimating equation model was used to compare the differences in the outcome variables between the groups over 3-time points.

RESULTS

The consent rate for the study was 95.2%, and the attrition rate was 5.0%. Although no significant differences between the groups were detected from T1 to T3, favorable effects on relieving the cluster itself (B [95% confidence interval (CI)] = -0.844 [-2.261, 0.572], p = 0.243, Cohen's d [95% CI] = -0.37 [-1.00, 0.28]) and improvements in physical well-being (B [95% CI] = 0.833 [-3.965, 5.632], p = 0.734, Cohen's d [95% CI] = -0.15 [-0.78, 0.49]) and in head and neck cancer-specific QOL (B [95% CI] = 0.061 [-4.061, 4.182], p = 0.977, Cohen's d [95% CI] = -0.05 [-0.68, 0.59]) were observed in the intervention group compared with the control.

CONCLUSIONS

The educational intervention program is feasible and has promising effects on relieving the cluster.

The cross-lagged association between depressive symptoms and health-related quality of life in patients receiving maintenance hemodialysis: a three-wave longitudinal study

PURPOSE

To examine the cross-lagged relationship between depressive symptoms and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in patients receiving maintenance hemodialysis.

METHODS

A longitudinal, observational study was conducted in two public hospitals in Shanghai, China. The sample consisted of 204 patients at baseline (T1). Of these, 144 completed the 12-month follow-up survey (T2), and 135 completed the 24-month follow-up survey (T3). Depressive symptoms were assessed using the depression subscale of the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, and HRQoL was assessed using the Kidney Disease Quality of Life 36 short form. Cross-lagged path analysis was used to examine the temporal relationship between depressive symptoms and domains of health-related quality of life.

RESULTS

Lower levels of three out of five domains of HRQoL (physical functioning, burden of kidney disease, and symptoms of kidney disease) at T1 were associated with increases in depressive symptoms at T2. Moreover, higher depressive symptoms at T2 were associated with decreases in four domains of HRQoL (mental functioning, burden of kidney disease, symptoms of kidney disease, and effects of kidney disease) at T3.

CONCLUSIONS

Patients who had poor HRQoL were more likely to report more subsequent depressive symptoms, which in turn predict lower HRQoL over time. It indicates a need to break this cycle in patients receiving maintenance hemodialysis.

Challenges encountered by patients with end-stage kidney disease in accessing symptom management services: A narrative inquiry

AIM

To understand the storied experiences of accessing symptom management services of patients with end-stage kidney disease (ESKD) who are receiving maintenance dialysis.

DESIGN

Narrative inquiry.

METHODS

Ten patients with ESKD who were receiving dialysis were recruited at two regional hospitals in Hong Kong and interviewed three times each between July 2017-July 2018 to capture their narratives. The data were analysed using the narrative inquiry approach from the perspective of Levesque's framework of access to care.

RESULTS

Five themes emerged from the participants' narratives. The first theme illustrated access to care as a process by which symptom management needs were met. However, clinicians occasionally identified patients based on their diseases instead of their needs and this process was affected differently by interpersonal and system factors. The themes 'building trust' and 'facilitating communication' described interpersonal factors that were essential to maintaining a constructive patient-clinician partnership. The themes 'balancing efficiency' and 'navigating fragmented system' described system-related factors.

CONCLUSIONS

This study identified the factors that influenced the delivery and/or reception of symptom management services for patients with ESKD who were receiving dialysis. The results suggest that healthcare services should be streamlined based on patients' needs and that this process should address the important elements of trust and communication.

IMPACT

The study's results suggest potential improvements to symptom management services that would enable patients' needs to be addressed in a timely and humanistic manner.