Perceptions regarding dialysis cessation and life support treatments in patients from Quebec undergoing hospital hemodialysis: age comparison].

The End-Stage Renal Disease population is aging. Considering that hemodialysis is a treatment that maintains and prolongs life, this descriptive-comparative study looks at the perceptions of patients according to age group -< 65 years, n = 121 and ≥ 65 years, n = 123, as it pertains to dialysis treatment cessation and life-sustaining treatments. Older patients are more indecisive as to what dialysis treatment cessation may actually represent for them (p = 0,01). They expressed a greater need for support from the health care team if they decided to stop dialysis treatments (p = 0,02); a greater involvement from the physician (p = 0,04); and, in the event patients could not take part in end-of-life decision-making, they would give priority to the wishes of loved ones instead of their own wishes (p = 0,01). Advanced care planning is necessary to demystify hemodialysis withdrawal and to support patients and their loved ones through this process.

Citation

Judith Gagnon, Jocelyne Saint-Arnaud, Marc Bourdeau, Josée Côté, Claire Chapados, Cécile Michaud. Perceptions regarding dialysis cessation and life support treatments in patients from Quebec undergoing hospital hemodialysis: age comparison]. Canadian journal on aging = La revue canadienne du vieillissement. 2012 Dec;31(4):435-44

Mesh Tags

PMID: 23234837

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