Effect of Caregiver Educational Level among Peritoneal Dialysis Patients on Peritonitis Rate

Background: Peritoneal dialysis (PD)-related peritonitis is a major complication among children receiving PD. It leads to hospitalization, increased costs, and adverse long-term outcomes. Objective: To evaluate the effect of caregiver educational level on the incidence of peritonitis in pediatric PD patients. Methods: A retrospective study was conducted at King Saud Medical City, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, including children younger than 14 years on PD between January 2020 and December 2023. Data were collected from a structured questionnaire and electronic records. Peritonitis episodes were compared across caregiver education levels using descriptive statistics, Kruskal-Wallis, and logistic regression analysis. Results: A total of 41 children were included (61% males). Caregiver education distribution was: 9.8% illiterate, 17.1% primary, 4.9% secondary, 34.1% high school, and 34.1% university. Peritonitis incidence ranged from 0 to 10 episodes per case per year, with a median of 0.5. Children with university-educated caregivers had the lowest peritonitis rates, while those with secondary-educated caregivers showed the highest. Differences were not statistically significant. Conclusion: Caregiver education may influence peritonitis risk in pediatric PD patients, with lower education levels showing higher rates. Larger studies are needed to confirm these findings.