Philosophical Perspectives in Health Education for Hemodialysis Patients: A Scoping Review
Discuss this preprint
Start a discussion What are Sciety discussions?Listed in
This article is not in any list yet, why not save it to one of your lists.Abstract
Background
Health education is crucial for hemodialysis patients, yet often limited to biomedical aspects. Philosophical perspectives, such as autonomy, caring, and humanism, may strengthen its ethical and holistic dimensions.
Objective
To map the integration of philosophical perspectives into health education for hemodialysis patients.
Methods
A scoping review was conducted using Arksey and O’Malley’s framework, refined by Levac and PRISMA-ScR guidelines. Databases searched included CINAHL (Ebsco), Scopus, Web of Science, PubMed, and ProQuest (2020–2025). Articles addressing philosophy, ethics, or humanistic theories in hemodialysis health education were included. Data were extracted and analyzed thematically.
Results
Four themes emerged: (1) autonomy and ethical responsibility, (2) caring ethics in nurse–patient relationships, (3) phenomenological insights into patients’ lived experiences, and (4) humanistic approaches emphasizing dignity and meaning. Few studies directly applied philosophical frameworks in structured educational interventions.
Conclusion
Philosophical perspectives enrich health education for hemodialysis patients by promoting autonomy, caring, and ethical engagement. Further studies are needed to develop and evaluate philosophy-informed educational models in nephrology nursing.
