Mi-Kyung Song, PhD, RN, FAAN, a professor at the Nell Hodgson Woodruff School of Nursing at Emory University, has received a $3.9 million grant from the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK). The five-year project will study the experiences of patients undergoing home dialysis and their family caregivers.
The research is being conducted in partnership with the University of Virginia and the University of California San Francisco. It aims to follow pairs of patients and caregivers over time to understand how they manage home dialysis therapy and how their daily routines change.
Home dialysis is often chosen for its flexibility and compatibility with work or travel. However, many patients stop using this method within two years. Managing complex procedures along with other health conditions presents challenges that are not well understood.
The study will use an experience sampling method to document everyday life for these individuals. Data on health outcomes and quality of life for both patients and caregivers will be collected. Researchers will also interview those who have switched back to in-center dialysis to learn why they made that decision.
“We will uncover the everyday challenges and successes of those living with this treatment modality so that we can develop data-driven interventions to optimize the home dialysis experience,” said Song.
This research is supported by NIDDK under award number 1R01DK142681. According to the announcement, “The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the National Institutes of Health.”
The Nell Hodgson Woodruff School of Nursing at Emory University is recognized as one of the leading nursing schools in the United States, offering undergraduate through doctoral programs as well as non-degree options. More information about their programs can be found at https://nursing.emory.edu/.
