Factors Associated with the Choice of Peritoneal Dialysis in Iran: Qualitative Study

BACKGROUND: Decision making about the type of dialysis in renal failure is a matter of great importance involving the patients, his/her family, and the health care team. Identifying the factors influencing decision making for undergoing peritoneal dialysis (PD) helps the development of this therapeutic method in patients. AIM: The present study aims at explaining the factors influencing decision making about undergoing PD in End Stage Renal Failure patients METHOD: The present study is a qualitative research, which used content analysis method. A semi-structured and in-depth interview was conducted with the 19 participants that selected by purposefully sampling. All interviews were recorded subsequent to receiving consent of the participants and were analyzed using content analysis method. RESULTS: The first codification process resulted in 345 codes, which finally decreased to 278 codes by continuous reading and removal of duplicates. Overall, two main categories and eight categories namely facilitating factors (viz. family atmosphere, hemodialysis problems, PD advantages, and social environment) and inhibitory factors (viz. inefficient family, PD requirements, attitudes towards hemodialysis, and the country treatment system) were selected from the total 19 sub-categories and 278 codes. CONCLUSIONS: Results indicated that various personal, family-related, psychological, social, and economic factors could affect the decision on the type of dialysis in patients. Therefore, basic infrastructures such as social support, education, and even the specialist and positive perspective of the Ministry of Health are required to choose this therapeutic method.