‘It’s basically ‘have that or die’’: a qualitative study of older patients’ choices between dialysis and conservative kidney management
For older people who face short lives irrespective of treatment for kidney failure, unfamiliarity with treatment options, the desire to live and the 'do or die' notion conspire to cast haemodialysis as inevitable, regardless of whether this is the most appropriate treatment. To best enable shared decision-making, clinicians should present kidney failure treatment options in an accurate and balanced way, and respect and support older people who are deciding whether to have CKM or dialysis. This includes articulating uncertainty and supporting patients to make trade-offs in relation to what is important to them.
Authors
- Joanna Coast (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3537-5166)
- Rachael L. Morton (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7834-0572)
- Lucy Selman (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5747-2699)
- Miranda Scanlon (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7398-3093)
- Leila Rooshenas (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6166-6055)
- Barnaby Hole (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2414-1302)
- Fergus Caskey (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5199-3925)
Institutions
- The University of Sydney (AU)
- North Bristol NHS Trust (GB)
- Kidney Research UK (GB)
- University of Bristol (GB)
Publication Details
- Journal
- BMJ Open
- Published
- 2025-03-01
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2024-095185
- Citations
- 9
- Primary Topic
- Palliative Care and End-of-Life Issues
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 16.91
Funders
- National Institute for Health and Care Research