'You are just a puppet': Australian Aboriginal people's experience of disempowerment when undergoing treatment for end-stage renal disease

Abstract

Aim: This research aimed to explore the experience of Aboriginal people undergoing treatment for end-stage renal disease. Background: Literature relating to the experience of dialysis for people with end-stage renal disease reports challenges relating to self-care, compliance and dependence on dialysis. However, the literature exploring the experience of Aboriginal people on dialysis, particularly the cultural experience of dialysis treatment, is limited. Methods: Using ethnographic methods, this research involved interviews with six Aboriginal people undergoing treatment for end-stage renal disease in April 2007. The interviews were guided by a list of topics to produce a narrative discourse. Fiindings: The participants reported an overwhelming sense of disempowerment relating to their dependency on dialysis treatment and health care professionals. Their feelings of disempowerment were exacerbated by cultural differences between patients and caregivers. Disempowerment arose from interactions with, and dependence on, health professionals, dependence on dialysis treatment, a perceived lack of education, the challenge of self-care and hospitalisation. Conclusion:This study has implications for the education and training of staff working in renal dialysis. Further research is needed to explore the nature of interactions between staff and patients, and the concept of disempowerment in Aboriginal people in various geographical settings.

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