Learning Objective #1: To understand the characteristics of hospitalization within the three years following the initial dialysis therapy.

Learning Objective #2: To understand the hospitalization in associated with demographic factors, chronic kidney disease related complication factors, and hospital characteristic factors.

---

Background: Hospitalization is an important indicator to evaluate the morbidity in chronic dialysis patients. The majority of hospitalization is for complications and comorbidities which can be attenuated in advance. Few studies have discussed related factors of hospitalization among chronic dialysis patients under a National database. It also lacked such researches in Taiwan. Objectives: The purposes of this study were to (a) explore the characteristics of hospitalization within the three years following the initial dialysis therapy from 1997 to 2001 among chronic dialysis patients in Taiwan, and (b) examine the hospitalization in associated with demographic factors, CKD-related complication factors, and hospital characteristic factors. Method: This research was a retrospective cohort study with a secondary data analysis method by evaluating the research databank from the National Health Insurance program in Taiwan. The study period for each patient (N = 26,837) was three years after three months following the initial dialysis therapy. A two-part model was used to analyze the utilization of inpatient care. The process of inpatient utilization was separated into two parts: the contact analysis and the frequency analysis. Results and Conclusions: The results included the characteristics of hospitalization among chronic dialysis patients in Taiwan. The factors associated with the probability of hospitalization, the number of hospitalization, the number of hospital days, and the inpatient expenditures were explored. The information would serve as indexes for nursing professionals and policy makers for further considerations to improve the care of chronic dialysis patients.