Abstract:
Determining among dialysis modalities is important for patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) because suitable dialysis modalities, in these patients holistic contexts, can maintain not only continuous treatment but also quality of life. This correlational descriptive study aimed to examine self-determination to select dialysis modality among ESRD patients and its factors (hope, preference, accessibility, and patients attitudes) affecting dialysis modality self-determination. The sample was persons diagnosed with ESRD by the nephrologists of Saraburi hospital who had to be treated with renal replacement therapies and who met the inclusion criteria. Eighty-two subjects were selected by simple random sampling. Six instruments were used to collect data: Personal Data questionnaires (General Personal Data and Clinical Data), Hope toward Dialysis Modalities questionnaire, Preference toward Dialysis Modalities questionnaire, Accessibility to Dialysis Service questionnaire, Patient Attitude toward dialysis modalities questionnaire, and Intrinsic Motivation Inventory.Five of them were tested for reliability and yielded Cronbachs alpha coefficient values of .82, .80, .85, .82, and .82 respectively. The data were analyzed via descriptive statistics and Pearsons product moment correlation coefficients. The results of this study showed that most of the sample had a high level of self-determination to select their dialysis modality ( = 40.59, SD = 2.02). Also, factors of hope, preference, and accessibility regarding dialysis modalities were significantly related to self-determination to select dialysis modalities of ESRD patients (r = .32, r = .29, andr= 34; p< .01, respectively). In summary, ESRD patients themselves could make self-determination to select their dialysis modalities. Professional nurses and other healthcare personnel should support providing knowledge to these patients relating to ESRD and renal replacement therapies in order for patients to understand and appropriately choose their renal replacement therapies. This should promote hope for optimal quality of their lives even though patients know they will survive only with renal replacement therapies.