True or False poll no. 66
Canadian Agency for Drugs and Technologies in Health (CADTH)
TRUE or FALSE:
Patients with end-stage kidney disease who need dialysis prefer treatment in a clinical setting with the assistance of a health care professional.
FALSE
A review by the Canadian Agency for Drugs and Technologies in Health (CADTH) found that patient preference for a specific dialysis modality may vary according to individual circumstances. This means that some patients would choose home-based dialysis, whereas other patients would prefer in-centre treatment.
In Canada, hemodialysis offered in a clinical setting with the assistance of a health care professional is the most frequently used modality. However, home-based dialysis modalities, including hemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis, offer clinical benefits to eligible patients that are similar to those offered by dialysis provided in hospital or in other clinical settings.
When CADTH reviewed relevant literature about patients’ experiences and preferences for dialysis options, it identified that patients value treatment conditions that are the least disruptive to their lives and daily activities as well as to the lives of their caregivers. Most patients reported that they trust their physicians to help them make a decision; however, they also reported that having information about all treatment options and being involved in the decision-making for their dialysis treatment helps them to feel more comfortable with their treatment. The review also identified the importance of sharing information with the patients’ caregivers, because they play an important role in supporting patients’ treatment and are also affected by the choice of dialysis modality (i.e., in centre or home based).
For more information about the CADTH review on dialysis modalities, see cadth.ca/dialysis