The phenomenology of deciding about hemodialysis among Taiwanese.

The purpose of this study was to describe the experience of making hemodialysis choices among Taiwanese with end-stage renal disease (ESRD). Using Colaizzi's phenomenological method, 12 ESRD patients provided in-depth, audiotaped interviews that were then transcribed and analyzed. The results of the data analysis revealed three broad categories and ten themes. The first category, confronting the dialysis treatment, included four themes: fear caused by false beliefs, a sense of threat to life, concern about the impairment of self-concept, and fear of physical limitations. The second category, seeking further information, included three themes: getting opinions of family members, seeking professional confirmation, and exploring alternative treatments. The third category, living with dialysis, included three themes: worsening symptoms, support of the family, and law of causation. These categories and themes revealed the difficulties that ESRD patients dealt with and the influence these difficulties and their culture had on the treatment choice.