POS-735 IS THERE A ‘SILVER LINING’ IN END-STAGE RENAL DISEASE?: A MIXED-METHODS STUDY EXPLORING THE PERSPECTIVE OF PATIENTS UNDERGOING HEMODIALYSIS

End-stage renal disease (ESRD) has been considered one of the most burdensome chronic diseases due to the various disruptions it causes in patients’ personal, family, social, leisure, and work activities. Besides attending in-center hemodialysis (IHD) sessions as prescribed, patients have to adhere to different complex health behaviors (e.g., dietary and fluid restrictions, vascular access care, polypharmacy protocols, regular exercise) that are crucial for the quality of life and survival. Several studies have evidenced the negative psychosocial impacts of ESRD and IHD requirements, suggesting that patients experience moderate to severe emotional distress during the treatment course.