Improving access to dialysis and transplantation for rural patients
Dialysis and transplantation are the main treatments for chronic kidney disease (CKD), but accessing those treatments is not always straightforward for patients in rural areas.
CKD patients in rural and remote communities encounter many barriers to accessing care and have a higher risk of mortality than those in urban areas.
In her talk at WCN’22, Nicki Scholes-Robertson, a doctoral student from the University of Sydney, Australia, will discuss these and factors that impact rural patients and their families when it comes to understanding and processing their diagnosis and treatment options.
Ms. Scholes-Robertson explains: “The further away from large cities that you live, the more difficult it is to access kidney care. From limited access to services and restricted choice of care to inadequate education regarding options and the financial burden of dialysis equipment costs, patients living in rural settings deal with huge challenges before they can even begin to access treatment.”
Ms. Scholes-Robertson will outline strategies to address the disparity in access to treatment and improve education and outcomes for these patients and their families. She comments: “It is vital that patients, clinicians, researchers, and policymakers develop and implement innovative care pathways to improve access for these patients.”
Ms. Scholes-Robertson’s other interest is consumer involvement in nephrology research, and she has first-hand experience of the problem. She explains: “As a patient from rural Australia myself, who has been through peritoneal dialysis and a kidney transplant, I think it is vital that patients are involved in research and in prioritizing what is important to them and their families.”
She believes there is much more to be done: “Despite the known disparities, there remains a paucity of evidence on patient perspectives, attitudes, and beliefs about access to dialysis and transplantation in rural and remote communities.” She plans to focus her postdoctoral research on the possible use of strategies to assist with treatment access and psychosocial support and improve patient outcomes.
Nicki Scholes-Robertson: “Patient Literacy”, Special Session “Kidney Health for All – World Kidney Day Perspectives”, Sunday, February 27, 00:30 – 02:00 hrs Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia) time: https://cm.theisn.org/cmPortal/searchable/WCN2022/config/normal#!sessiondetails/0000015950_0
