title: Experiences of patients undergoing dialysis who are from ethnic and racial minorities.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Approximately 500,000 people in the United States are affected by end-stage kidney disease (ESKD), 53% of whom are Black or Latino. ESKD significantly impacts psychosocial health and quality of life. However, few studies address the psychosocial aspects of ESKD, especially among black and Latino adults. This study sought to understand the psychosocial context of living with ESKD among black and Latino adults who reside in a medically underserved community.
  
  
  METHODS
  A qualitative study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Participants were recruited from a dialysis centre in East New York, Brooklyn, a medically underserved community.
  
  
  METHODS
  Descriptive phenomenology was used as a qualitative approach for capturing the experiences of patients who received dialysis in this community.
  
  
  METHODS
  Open-ended interviews were audio-taped, transcribed, coded and analysed using standard qualitative techniques.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Data saturation was achieved at 36 participants. The following five themes emerged: the transition to dialysis is abrupt and unexpected; denial is often an initial response; dialysis is the new normal and in order to survive one must forget the past and press forward; dialysis changes everything and impacts the entire family; strength was often found in faith and family.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study was conducted in one setting and may need to be expanded to other sites to capture the experiences of patients cared for in other settings.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These findings have practical implications for informing patient-centered models of care that are more responsive to the psychosocial needs of patients with ESKD living in medically underserved communities.
authors.affiliation: Weill Cornell Medical Center, Center of Excellence for Health Disparities Research and Community Engagement, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, USA.
authors.forename: Neha
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Nagpal
authors.affiliation: SUNY Downstate Medical Center, College of Medicine, The Office of Diversity Education and Research (CBF), New York City, New York, USA.
authors.forename: Carla
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Boutin-Foster
authors.affiliation: Weill Cornell Medical Center, Center of Excellence for Health Disparities Research and Community Engagement, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, USA.
authors.forename: Jennifer
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Melendez
authors.affiliation: Weill Cornell Medical Center, Center of Excellence for Health Disparities Research and Community Engagement, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, USA.
authors.forename: Patryk
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Kubiszeswki
authors.affiliation: Weill Cornell Medical Center, Center of Excellence for Health Disparities Research and Community Engagement, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, USA.
authors.forename: Kamalani
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Uehara
authors.affiliation: Weill Cornell Medical Center, Center of Excellence for Health Disparities Research and Community Engagement, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, USA.
authors.forename: Emanuela
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Offidani
authors.affiliation: Weill Cornell Medical Center, Center of Excellence for Health Disparities Research and Community Engagement, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, USA.
authors.forename: Zenobia
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Faussett
authors.affiliation: Weill Cornell Medical Center, Center of Excellence for Health Disparities Research and Community Engagement, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, USA.
authors.forename: Richie
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Center for Health Action and Policy, The Rogosin Institute, New York, USA.
authors.forename: Cathy
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Redel
authors.affiliation: Center for Health Action and Policy, The Rogosin Institute, New York, USA.
authors.forename: Clarence
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Waltrous
authors.affiliation: Center for Health Action and Policy, The Rogosin Institute, New York, USA.
authors.forename: Barry
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Smith
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005006:Ethnicity / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008913:Minority Groups / Q000523:psychology*; D009519:New York City; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D036301:Qualitative Research; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology; D006435:Renal Dialysis / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000523:psychology* / Q000592:standards*
keywords: Chronic kidney disease; Environment; Haemodialysis; Psychosocial; Quality improvement; Self-management/Self-care