The status of, and obstacles to, continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis in Thailand

Perit Dial Int. 2008 Jun:28 Suppl 3:S53-8.

Abstract

The prevalence of dialysis in Thailand is 282 per million population, and utilization of peritoneal dialysis (PD) is only 4.6% of the utilization of hemodialysis (HD). The causes of low PD utilization include a relatively higher cost of PD care, especially from the patient's perspective; less incentive for PD care on the part of health care providers and hospitals; fewer continuing medical and nursing education programs in PD; unavailability of certified PD nurses; lack of confidence in the quality of PD care; fewer offers of PD as a renal replacement therapy option during pre-dialysis counseling; fear of peritonitis on the part of the patient, and also fear of burdening family members; a less stringent government policy regarding the "PD first" strategy. To increase PD utilization. mandatory strategies are lower PD cost, make all PD equipment reimbursable, launch a stringent "PD first" policy, provide incentives to health care providers and hospitals, and improve the quality of PD care.

MeSH terms

  • Attitude of Health Personnel
  • Clinical Competence
  • Health Care Costs
  • Health Services Accessibility
  • Humans
  • Kidney Failure, Chronic / therapy*
  • Patient Acceptance of Health Care*
  • Peritoneal Dialysis, Continuous Ambulatory / economics
  • Peritoneal Dialysis, Continuous Ambulatory / standards
  • Peritoneal Dialysis, Continuous Ambulatory / statistics & numerical data*
  • Thailand