Screening for Geriatric Problems in Older Adults Receiving Hemodialysis Using a Self-Administered Battery

Purpose

Older adults receiving hemodialysis experience geriatric problems that affect quality of life and contribute to high healthcare utilization but are often underrecognized in dialysis care. Scalable approaches to identifying these problems are needed. This study evaluated the agreement between a self-administered screening battery and a geriatrician telehealth evaluation and assessed the feasibility of implementing the screening battery in dialysis clinics. Patients and Methods: Participants aged ≥ 55 receiving hemodialysis completed the Geriatric screen for Older adults receiving Dialysis (GOLD), a screening battery assessing seven geriatric problems: depression, anxiety, functional impairment, cognitive impairment, falls risk, limited social support, and low nutritional status, followed by a blinded geriatrician telehealth evaluation. Intra-problem agreement between the GOLD and geriatrician evaluation was assessed using Cohen’s κ, and analyses evaluated alternative screening thresholds. Acceptability and feasibility of the GOLD were evaluated through participant and staff surveys.