Peritoneal dialysis and peritonitis: the experiences of patients and their families

This research focuses on patients’ and families’ knowledge and experience of peritoneal dialysis-associated peritonitis.

Peritonitis (infection of the peritoneal membrane) is a considerable problem for patients using peritoneal dialysis, a home-based treatment for kidney failure. Peritonitis leads to antibiotic use, hospital admission and decreased quality of life, requires some individuals to stop using peritoneal dialysis, and can be fatal.

However, there is a lack of evidence considering patients’ (and families’) knowledge and experiences of peritoneal dialysis-associated peritonitis.

This mixed methods study will comprise two phases:

• Phase One: Development, piloting and administration of a questionnaire assessing patients’ and relatives’ knowledge of peritoneal dialysis-associated peritonitis.
• Phase Two: In depth interviews with a sample of Phase One participants to further explore their knowledge and experiences of peritonitis.

Funding

This research is funded by the Research Capacity Building Collaboration (RCBC) Wales.

Lead researcher