Developing an arts-based intervention for patients with end-stage kidney disease whilst receiving haemodialysis: A study protocol

End stage kidney disease (ESKD) is a life changing illness. Many patients require haemodialysis, a treatment that involves patients attending hospital three times a week for four hours each time. This treatment impacts profoundly on quality of life (Ho and Li, 2016) and many patients report depression and anxiety (Bujang et al., 2015). Arts-based interventions have been used in healthcare settings to improve psychological symptoms, as well as perceived quality of life (Boehm et al., 2014). Arts-based interventions for patients receiving haemodialysis could help address the impact of this challenging treatment and positively impact quality of life and mental health. Methods: The aim of this study is to determine the feasibility of conducting a randomised controlled trial to evaluate an arts-based intervention for ESKD patients receiving haemodialysis. Twenty patients will be recruited; ten receiving the intervention and ten acting as controls. The primary outcome is quality of life measured by the KDQOL-36 and EQ-5D-5L. Measurements will be completed at baseline and 3, 6 and 9 months after the intervention. An economic evaluation will be conducted to explore the costs of implementation. A process evaluation will be carried out to examine how the intervention was adapted, the trial process, participant recruitment/retention and whether the measures were appropriate for the participants. Conclusion: ESKD and haemodialysis are known to have a negative impact on quality of life and mental health. Arts-based interventions have been shown to improve quality of life in healthcare settings (Boehm et al., 2014), but there is a dearth of evidence evaluating arts-based interventions for ESKD patients receiving haemodialysis. We will assess the feasibility of a future definitive trial assessing the impact of an arts intervention on the well-being and mental health of patients with ESKD and identify the key factors leading to successful implementation.