Quality of Life of Patients on In-Center Hemodialysis versus Continuous Ambulatory Peritoneal Dialysis

Abstract

This study compared chronic hemodialysis and CAPD patients on several quality of life variables: dietary adherence, self-esteem, hope, wellbeing, marital happiness, perceived control over life, marital status, number of emotional support persons, and participation in social, recreational, and work activities. Statistically significant differences in the quality of life variables due to treatment modality or demographic variables were not found. However, CAPD patients did engage in significantly more social and recreational activity, though not more work activity, than did hemodialysis patients. It is noted that 73% of the CAPD patients were Caucasian and that 72% of the hemodialysis patients were of black origin. Similarly skewed racial compositions in preceding research comparing patients on CAPD and hemodialysis suggest that 1. choice of treatment is occurring on the basis of some set of patient characteristics, or 2. systematic assignment is occurring on the basis of race, sex, and/or education. However, given no significant race/demography differences for variables used in this research, it appears that quality of life across racially different groups of hemodialysis and CAPD patients is comparable.