Helping people with advanced kidney disease get arteriovenous (AV) dialysis access

A Hybrid Type 1 Effectiveness-Implementation Study of Education Strategies for Vascular Access Creation in Advanced Kidney Disease

NIH-funded research Univ of North Carolina Chapel Hill · NIH-11252297

Comparing three patient education approaches to help people with advanced kidney disease understand and get AV access before starting hemodialysis.

Quick facts

Grant typeR01 grant
Study typeNIH-funded research
Funding institutionUniv of North Carolina Chapel Hill NIH-funded
Lab location1 site (Chapel Hill, United States)
Project IDNIH-11252297 on NIH RePORTER

What this research studies

You would be randomly assigned to one of three ways of receiving vascular access education, including a focused education program and a version that adds motivational interviewing support. The materials were user-tested and are designed to explain AV fistulas and grafts, address common fears about needles and disfigurement, and validate patient emotions. The study will track whether people get AV access created before they begin dialysis and will collect information about how the education was delivered and received. Researchers will use those results to find approaches clinics can use to better prepare patients for dialysis.

Who could benefit from this research

Good fit: People with advanced chronic kidney disease who are approaching the need for hemodialysis and do not yet have an AV fistula or graft are the ideal candidates.

Not a fit: People who already have a working AV access, those choosing or already on peritoneal dialysis, or those not planning dialysis are unlikely to benefit from this intervention.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, this could increase the number of patients who get AV fistulas or grafts before starting dialysis, reducing complications and hospital stays.

How similar studies have performed: Motivational interviewing and patient education have helped change other health behaviors, but few randomized trials have tested tailored AV access education specifically, so this approach is promising but not yet proven.

Where this research is happening

Chapel Hill, United States

Researchers

About this research

  1. This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
  2. Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
  3. For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.
Conditions Chronic DiseaseChronic Renal Disease
Last reviewed 2026-06-13 by the Find a Trial editorial team. Information on this page is for educational purposes and is not medical advice. Always consult qualified healthcare professionals about clinical trial participation.