A Qualitative Study to Assess the Psychosocial Stressors among Chronic Kidney Disease Patients under Hemodialysis in Selected Dialysis Unit, New Delhi

Abstract

Patient with chronic kidney disease (CKD) often have to suffer physical, psychological, social and financial problems and undertake a lot of stress and challenge while carrying themselves with the disease. Therefore, in order to understand the lived experiences and stressors faced by CKD patients undergoing hemodialysis, a qualitative study was conducted to assess the psychosocial stressors among CKD patients undergoing hemodialysis under 4 domains: Physical, Psychological Social and Financial. The research questions assessed were: How the disease condition and treatment regimen affected your physical well being? What are the psychological experiences faced by you as a patient of CKD under hemodialysis? How the disease condition and treatment regime affected your social life? How the disease condition and treatment regimen affected your financial status? Methods: A Qualitative approach with phenomenological design was implemented. Participants were selected through purposive sampling technique and data was collected using semi-structured in-depth interview schedule. Result and Conclusion: Data was analyzed using thematic analysis and subsequent themes, subthemes and categories emerged, which were: Physical struggles, Lack of knowledge of disease condition, Disturbed family life, Distorted personal life, psychological break down, Fear and anxiety, Anger and frustration, social isolation, financial burden. The participants expressed fear of death and hospital re-admission related to deterioration disease condition. Anger and frustration related to restricted food and fluid intake. The major stressors they confronted that is financial burden, disturbed personal life and distorted occupational life and low social support. The participants in this study had limited resources at hand, including treatment modalities, either hemodialysis or kidney transplantation. Patients with CKD experiences considerable levels of stressors which has direct and indirect impact not only their lives as well as to their family life. Thus, it showed that patient with CKD not leading good quality of life, everyday they face new challenges for spending trouble free life.