diabetes, and hyperlipidemia, kidney disease has become a major health concern in Taiwan.Without treatment, patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) face life-threatening risks.Peritoneal dialysis (PD) is a common renal replacement therapy for ESRD.Recent advances in PD techniques have extended treatment duration, but long-term dialysis affects patients' physical, psychological, and social well-being.Therefore, care should not only prolong survival but also enhance quality of life (QoL).This study aimed to identify factors influencing QoL among PD patients.Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted at a regional hospital, enrolling 18 PD patients.Data were collected through structured questionnaires and interviews, including demographic information and the Taiwanese version of the WHOQOL-BREF, which assesses physical health, psychological well-being, social relationships, and environment.Each item was rated on a 5-point Likert scale, with higher scores indicating better QoL.Results: Participants had a mean age of 53 years, mostly aged 43-55.Males accounted for 51.6%, females 48.4%, and 66.6% were married.Half had a high school education, and one-third were college graduates.The average PD duration was 45.6 months; 94.4% performed exchanges independently, and 55.5% had full-time jobs.Overall QoL scores declined from 11.10 in 2021 to 10.42 in 2024.As dialysis duration and age increased, patients reported more fatigue, musculoskeletal pain, and frequent clinic visits for comorbidities.Among the four domains, the environmental domain scored highest, followed by social and physical health, while the psychological domain scored lowest.Environmental scores averaged 12.56 (2021), 11.8 (2022), 11.56 (2023), and 11.9 (2024).Patients appreciated dietary flexibility and the ability to perform PD outside hospitals, yet some retired due to declining strength or treatment fatigue and faced added costs for nutritional supplements.Psychological scores dropped from 10.73 (2021) to 9.3 ( 2024).Common concerns included potential transition to hemodialysis, complications such as peritonitis or exit-site infection, and loss of purpose from repetitive daily routines.Patients with employment showed higher QoL, reflecting better self-care ability, stamina, social engagement, and financial stability.Those performing self-exchanges had higher scores in physical and emotional well-being, suggesting improved autonomy and functional recovery.Conclusion: PD patients face multiple challenges affecting QoL, especially psychological distress and limited physical capacity.Younger patients, those with jobs, and those independently managing dialysis exhibited better QoL.Personalized nursing care emphasizing empathy, communication, and patient education is crucial.Early psychological assessment, support for self-care skills, and preventive health teaching can reduce complications, improve independence, and ultimately enhance QoL for PD patients.I have no potential conflict of interest to disclose.I did not use generative AI and AI-assisted technologies in the writing process.
Toda et al. (Wed,) studied this question.