Dialysis Organization Online Information on Kidney Failure Treatments: A Content Analysis Using Corpus Linguistics

RATIONALE & OBJECTIVE: Dialysis organizations’ websites may influence patient decision making, but the websites have received almost no consideration. We investigated how/whether these websites present all kidney replacement therapy options and how the quality of life of these options is portrayed. STUDY DESIGN: Content analysis using corpus linguistics (computer-assisted language analysis). SETTING: Website content aimed at patients from the 2 major dialysis organizations’ websites, totaling 226,968 words. The analysis took place from November 12, 2020, to March 30, 2021. ANALYTICAL APPROACH: We used linguistic software (AntConc) to document the frequencies of words needed to present treatment options and quality of life information. RESULTS: Over both sites, dialysis mentions outstripped transplantation mentions. Organization A did not appear to reference conservative kidney management. Organization B mentioned dialysis more often than conservative management, at a ratio of 34:1. Organization A did not attribute symptoms to dialysis, whereas organization B had 12 mentions of dialysis-induced symptoms out of 87 total symptom references. Both organizations framed life on dialysis optimistically, suggesting that patients can continue to engage in “work,” “sex,” or “travel”; organization A referenced sex, work, and/or travel 123 times and organization B referenced these 262 times. LIMITATIONS: We used quantitative analysis and linked ideas with certain keywords. We did not conduct a detailed qualitative inquiry. CONCLUSIONS: The websites emphasized dialysis as a treatment for kidney failure, and the quality of life on dialysis was framed very optimistically. Qualitative studies of treatment modalities and the quality of life on dialysis in the patient-targeted material of dialysis organizations are needed.