Date of Graduation

5-2023

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Bachelor of Science in Human Environmental Sciences

Degree Level

Undergraduate

Department

Apparel Merchandising and Product Development

Advisor/Mentor

Apple, Laurie

Committee Member/Reader

Southward, Leigh

Committee Member/Second Reader

Zayas, Fernanda

Abstract

In 2021, more than 1 in 7 Americans, or 37 million people, had chronic kidney disease. Chronic kidney disease is a progression of the loss of kidney function. As kidney disease progresses, the kidneys are no longer able to filter and clean the blood, which can lead to kidney failure. A failure of working kidneys can lead to accumulation of toxic waste, fluid volume excess, high blood pressure, heart disease, stroke, and early death (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2021). If the disease progresses to total kidney failure, it is fatal unless a kidney transplant or a dialysis treatment is implemented (Mayo Clinic Staff, 2021). Dialysis treatment is used to keep the body in balance by removing waste and keeping a balanced level of chemicals in the blood. One option for dialysis treatment is a hemodialysis procedure. Side effects of treatment include a drop in blood pressure and anemia. Both can cause patients to feel symptoms of coldness and tiredness or weakness.

Because of these symptoms, what a patient wears to treatment are important to their quality of life and treatment. There are very few manufacturers that have adaptive clothing designs for people with disabilities. Because the market for adaptive wear is so niche, the prices are set at whatever the designer and/or manufacturer wants, since the demand is so great. There are also limited apparel options that meet the aesthetical wants and functional needs of people with chronic kidney disease on dialysis, with some patients reporting feeling overlooked by the fashion industry (Kabel, 2017). The purpose of this study is to show how adaptive clothing for dialysis patients can be created to be affordable and stylish.

Keywords

Chronic Kidney Disease; Adaptive Clothing; Hemodialysis; Adaptive Clothing for Dialysis Patients; Dialysis

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