The Faithful Path to Health: An Exploratory Qualitative Study Investigating Religious Dimensions of Treatment Adherence Among Muslim Patients with End-Stage Renal Disease on Hemodialysis in Pakistan.

As the prevalence of end-stage renal disease (ESRD) rises worldwide, it poses a serious threat to public health. Renal replacement therapy (RRT) or hemodialysis (HD) is essential for the survival of these patients. HD is the treatment of choice for most patients. However, a perceptual evaluation of the religious beliefs that motivate patients to follow this course of treatment remains largely unexplored. This exploratory qualitatively study examined the religious aspects that Muslim ESRD patients in Pakistan undergoing hemodialysis found meaningful as they struggled to adhere to their treatment plans. Thematic analysis was conducted on a dataset comprising a purposively recruited sample of 5 male and 5 female ESRD patients. Two subthemes emerged under the overarching theme of religious influence on adherence: self-proclaimed religious convictions and religious coping. Religious coping was associated with better management and emerged as a positive influence on treatment adherence. Conversely, self-proclaimed religious convictions were linked to poor management and acted as a hindrance to treatment adherence. Healthcare providers, particularly nephrologists and health psychologists, should encourage patients with ESRD to embrace treatment adherence by considering their self-proclaimed religious convictions and integrating them into a religious coping mechanism. This approach aims to improve overall treatment adherence.