Exploring the bio-psychosocial effects of renal replacement therapy amongst patients in a state hospital in South Africa

This article described a qualitative study that investigated the bio-psychosocial effects of renal replacement therapy on patients in a state hospital in South Africa. The study aimed to investigate the level of debility experienced by patients undergoing haemodialysis (HD) and continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD) and to explore how this debility affects their bio-psychosocial functioning. Respondents comprised a small sample of HD and CAPD patients. Using an interview schedule as the research tool allowed rich data to be uncovered. Content analysis and reducing data into themes facilitated data analysis. Although the study was not quantitative and thus did not allow for comparative analysis, themes regarding the levels of stress emerged amongst participants. The HD group voiced greater concerns regarding the degree of debility and psychosocial distress than the CAPD group. Governmental support for holistic kidney disease treatment and careful teaming of key role players to reduce the severity and far-reaching bio-psychosocial effects of HD and CAPD treatment are recommended. Hierdie artikel beskryf ‘n kwalitatiewe studie wat die bio-psigososiale effekte van niervervangingsterapie op pasi nte in ‘n staatshospitaal in Suid-Afrika ondersoek het. Die studie is gemotiveer deur die mate van debiliteit van pasi nte wat hemodialise (HD) en kontinue ambulatoriese peritoneale dialise (KAPD) ondergaan en wat o nskynlik verder strek as bloot die fisieke aspekte van die siekte en die behandeling daarvan. Respondente het bestaan uit ‘n klein groep HD- en KAPD-pasi nte. Deur ‘n onderhoudskedule as die navorsingsinstrument te gebruik, is ryk data onthul. Inhoudanalise en die redusering van data tot temas het die data-analise gefasiliteer. Alhoewel die studie nie kwantitatief was nie en vergelykende analise dus nie moontlik was nie, het temas van spanning onder die respondente voorgekom. Dit was duidelik uit die onderhoude met albei pasi ntgroepe en inhoudanalise dat die HD-groep meer bekommernis oor die graad van debiliteit en psigososiale stres getoon het as die KAPD-groep. Regeringsondersteuning vir holistiese nierbehandeling en versigtige samestelling van ‘n span sleutelrolspelers vir die vermindering van die erns en verreikende gevolge van HD en KAPD word voorgestel.