The Utilization of Renal Dialysis in Saudi Arabia: A Comprehensive Study in Saudi Arabia

Abstract

Background: Understanding the trend of utilization of renal dialysis in Saudi Arabia is fundamental as it provides a general overview of renal care. As a result, it assists in identifying challenges, opportunities, and potential areas for improvement in the provision of renal dialysis services, justifying the significance of the present study, which focused on the utilization of renal dialysis services in Saudi Arabia in 2021. Objectives: This research investigated the utilization of renal dialysis services in Saudi Arabia by focusing on the number of renal dialysis centers, hemodialysis machines, and hemodialysis and peritoneodialysis patients. Methods: The data from the General Authority of Saudi Arabia and the Ministry of Health (MoH) indicators for Renal Dialysis Centers and Patients by Health Sectors in 2021 using MS Excel 365 and SPSS Version 29. As a result, the number of renal dialysis centers was considered a dependent variable, and the number of HD machines, HD, and peritoneodialyis patients were the independent variables to determine the relationship between the variables. Results: The findings revealed a positive relationship between the number of renal dialysis centers, the number of HD machines, and HD and peritoneodialysis patients, as demonstrated by p<0.05 in these three healthcare sectors. Conclusion: The number of renal dialysis centers influences the availability of HD machines, affecting the number of HD and peritoneodialyis patients. Most patients (Saudi Arabians) preferred MoH over other governmental sectors and private sectors, while this is vice versa in the case of non-Saudi Arabians. Keywords: Renal Dialysis, Quality of Care, Chronic Renal Failure, and Saudi Arabia