Document Type : Original Quantitative and Qualitative Research Paper
Authors
1
Department of Nursing, Faculty of Nursing and Midwifery, Urmia University of Medical Sciences, Urmia, Iran
2
Associate Professor of Nursing, Faculty of Nursing and Midwifery, Urmia University of Medical Sciences, Urmia, Iran
3
Professor of Nursing, Faculty of Nursing and Midwifery, Urmia University of Medical Sciences, Urmia, Iran
10.22038/ebcj.2026.94477.3241
Abstract
Background: Kidney transplantation is the preferred treatment for end-stage renal disease, yet its long-term success depends heavily on sustained post-transplant care. Much of this responsibility falls on family members who serve as home caregivers.
Aim: This study aimed to explore and describe the challenges experienced by home caregivers of kidney transplant recipients from their lived perspectives using a qualitative content analysis approach.
Methods: A qualitative study with a conventional content analysis design was conducted in Urmia, Iran. Eighteen primary home caregivers of adult kidney transplant recipients were recruited through purposive sampling from transplant clinics and follow-up centers. Data were collected through in-depth, semi-structured interviews conducted in Persian. Interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim, and analyzed inductively using the Graneheim and Lundman method. MAXQDA software was used for data management.
Results: Analysis revealed one overarching theme, “A Vortex of Enduring Burdens,” reflecting the cyclical and overwhelming nature of caregiving. This theme comprised four main categories: (1) The Overwhelming Weight of Care Responsibilities, (2) Psycho-Emotional Erosion, (3) The Crushing of Personal and Social Identity, and (4) Socio-Economic Precarity, encompassing eleven subcategories. Caregivers reported persistent stress related to regimen management, emotional exhaustion, identity loss, social isolation, and financial and occupational instability.
Implications for Practice:Home caregivers of kidney transplant recipients experience profound, multidimensional burdens that extend beyond medical care. Addressing these challenges requires comprehensive caregiver-centered interventions, including education, psychological support, and policy-level support to promote sustainable family caregiving and improved transplant outcomes.
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