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. 2019 Jul 16;20(1):264.
doi: 10.1186/s12882-019-1423-x.

Older patients' experiences with a shared decision-making process on choosing dialysis or conservative care for advanced chronic kidney disease: a survey study

Wouter R Verberne  1 , Wanda S Konijn  2 , Karen Prantl  2 , Janneke Dijkers  3 , Margriet T Roskam  3 , Johannes J M van Delden  4 , Willem Jan W Bos  3   5
Affiliations

Older patients' experiences with a shared decision-making process on choosing dialysis or conservative care for advanced chronic kidney disease: a survey study

Wouter R Verberne et al. BMC Nephrol. .

Abstract

Background: Many older patients approaching end-stage kidney disease have to decide whether to go for dialysis or non-dialytic conservative care (CC). Shared decision-making is recommended to align the treatment plan with the patient's preferences and values. Little is known about older patients' experiences with shared decision-making on dialysis or CC.

Methods: We performed a survey study, in collaboration with the Dutch Kidney Patients Association, in 99 patients aged ≥70 years who had chosen dialysis (n = 75) or CC (n = 24) after a shared decision-making process involving an experienced multidisciplinary team.

Results: Patients stated to be overall satisfied with the shared decision-making process (% with score 6-10 on 11-point Likert scale, dialysis versus CC: 93% vs. 91%, P = 0.06), and treatment decision (87% vs. 91%, P = 0.03). However, patients also reported negative experiences, especially those who had chosen dialysis. Such negative experiences were related to the timing, informing, and level of decision-making being shared. More patients who selected dialysis indicated to have felt forced to make a decision, mostly due to the circumstances, such as their deteriorating health or kidney function, or by their nephrologist (31% vs. 5%, P = 0.01). Also, patients who selected dialysis mentioned a perceived lack of choice as most common reason for choosing dialysis, and 55% considered their own opinion as most important rather than their nephrologists' or relatives' opinion compared to 90% of the patients who had chosen CC (P = 0.02). A subset of patients who had chosen dialysis still doubted their treatment decision compared to no patient who had chosen CC (17% vs. 0%, P = 0.03).

Conclusions: Older patients reported contrasting experiences with shared decision-making on dialysis or CC. Despite high overall satisfaction, the underlying negative experiences illustrate important but modifiable barriers to an optimal shared decision-making process.

Keywords: Aged; Chronic kidney failure; Conservative treatment; Renal dialysis; Shared decision making.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare that they have no competing interests.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Older patients’ satisfaction with the shared decision-making process for choosing between dialysis and conservative care (P = 0.06). Rating on a 11-point Likert scale. Abbreviation: cons. care, conservative care
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Older patients’ satisfaction with their treatment decision (P = 0.03). Rating on a 11-point Likert scale. Abbreviation: cons. care, conservative care
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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