Web-based Interactive Health Communication Application (IHCA) for Successful Home Dialysis

Study Overview
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Brief Summary
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This study involves Chronic Kidney Disease patients that must choose the type of dialysis therapy they ultimately wish to perform. These patients receive education regarding dialysis types from nurses and Nephrologists at a Kidney Function Program. The investigators have developed a web-based Interactive Health Communication Application that could provide more education and support to patients about their dialysis choices. The investigators will compare patients that will receive usual care dialysis education versus patients that will receive additional education through this web-based application. The investigators feel that this tool may increase the proportion of patients who start home dialysis, which offers advantages such as improvement in quality of life and deceased overall healthcare costs, over hospital hemodialysis.

Official Title
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Web-based IHCA for Successful Home Dialysis

Conditions
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Chronic Kidney Disease

Intervention / Treatment
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* Behavioral: Interactive Health Communication Application


Participation Criteria
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Eligibility Criteria
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Inclusion Criteria: enrolled in Kidney Function Program (KFP) previously received KFP-administered dialysis modality education personal access to a home computer (ie. either their own or a close friend/family member) with internet access most recent eGFR < or = 20mL/min/1.73m2 Exclusion Criteria: inability to provide informed consent inability to use a home computer or internet inability to understand English (written or spoke) severe visual or auditory impairment

Ages Eligible for Study
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Minimum Age: 18 Years

Sexes Eligible for Study
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All

Accepts Healthy Volunteers
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No

Study Plan
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How is the study designed?
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Design Details

Primary Purpose: Supportive Care
Allocation: Randomized
Intervention Model: Parallel Assignment
Masking: None (Open Label)


Arms and Interventions

| Participant Group/Arm | Intervention/Treatment |
| --- | --- |
| No Intervention: usual care<br> | |
| Active Comparator: Health Communication Application<br> | Behavioral: Interactive Health Communication Application<br>* web-based application<br>|

What is the study measuring?
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Primary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Number of patients that start home-based dialysis. | Difference between groups in proportion of patients starting home-based dialysis. | 1 year | 

Secondary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Number intended to start home-based dialysis | Difference between groups in proportion of patients intending to perform home-based dialysis | 1 year | 
| Increase in dialysis knowledge | Difference between groups in dialysis knowledge. | 1 year | 
| Increase in decision making and social support. | Difference between groups in decision conflict and sense of social support. | 1 year | 
| Mortality differences | Difference between groups in all-cause mortality. | 1 year | 

 Terms related to the study
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Keywords Provided by Centre Hospitalier Valida
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chronic kidney disease, web-based application, dialysis education