BRINGING
INTO KIDNEY HAEMODIALYSIS UNITS TO IMPROVE PATIENT OUTCOMES KEY MESSAGES
RESEARCH EVIDENCE
This policy brief was co-created by patients, families, researchers, healthcare and arts practitioners with an interest in or personal experience of kidney disease.
Carswell, C., et al. (2020) A mixed-methods feasibility study of an arts-based intervention for patients receiving maintenance haemodialysis. BMC Nephrology 21.
CHALLENGE • Maintaining patient well-being during kidney haemodialysis is crucial to treatment adherence and long term outcomes. • However, haemodialysis is a treatment that requires attending hospital three times a week for four hours each visit. • This treatment impacts profoundly on quality of life, mental health and well-being. SOLUTION - ARTS ACTIVITIES Arts activities are a useful way to support and encourage people with kidney disease to manage the emotional challenges of haemodialysis and find meaning and connection during their treatment. BARRIERS Barriers to arts activities include: lack of staff resource and knowledge to run interventions; geography and the limitations of access; infection control; funding; and the limited profile of the arts as a legitimate intervention. RECOMMENDATIONS Growing the evidence base to demonstrate the value of arts activities during kidney treatment; identifying arts champions within renal settings; further mapping innovative provision to build on what works and collaborations across the world.
Chilcot, J., et al. (2024) The identification and management of depression in UK Kidney Care: results from the Mood Maps Study. Journal of Renal Care, 50, 297–306. Fancourt D, Finn S. (2019) What is the evidence on the role of the arts in improving health and well-being? A scoping review: World Health Organization. Regional Office for Europe; 2019. KidneyCareUK (2022) Caring for people with kidney disease. Psychosocial health – a manifesto for action 2022. National Centre for Creative Health ncch.org.uk