Building a Conceptual Framework of Treatment Burden After Kidney Transplant: A Qualitative Study.
Mayo Clinic, Rocheste
Meeting: 2017 American Transplant Congress
Abstract number: C153
Keywords: Kidney, Kidney transplantation, Quality of life
Session Information
Session Name: Poster Session C: Kidney Complications III
Session Type: Poster Session
Date: Monday, May 1, 2017
Session Time: 6:00pm-7:00pm
Presentation Time: 6:00pm-7:00pm
Location: Hall D1
Background: After kidney transplant, patients must negotiate complex medication regimens, lifestyle changes, laboratory monitoring and clinic appointments. The personal workload of healthcare and its impact on well-being are referred to as treatment burden. Excessive treatment burden can adversely impact adherence to medical regimens and quality of life. The aim of this study was to build a conceptual framework of treatment burden after kidney transplant.
Methods: Thirty adult kidney transplant patients (mean age 58.6 ± 15.0 years, mean time since transplant 80.3 ± 64.0 months, 68% male, 68% Caucasian) from our center were recruited using a purposive sampling strategy to participate in semi-structured qualitative interviews. Narrative data from the interviews were qualitatively analyzed to uncover common themes of treatment burden after kidney transplant.
Results: Interim analyses of the first 16 interviews reveal two themes of treatment burden after kidney transplant: 1) work patients must do to care for their kidney transplant (i.e. learning about their treatment and condition, engaging in self-care activities, attending clinic appointments) and 2) factors that exacerbate perceived burden (i.e. role and activity limitations, financial challenges, confusion about medical information, obstacles within the health system).
Discussion: Patients describe a significant amount of work involved in caring for their kidney transplants. This work may impact their daily lives and is exacerbated by individual, interpersonal and system-related factors. Analyses of interview transcripts will continue until thematic content saturation is reached. The derived framework will be used as a foundation for a patient-reported measure of treatment burden to promote better care after kidney transplant.
CITATION INFORMATION: Lorenz E, Egginton J, Stegall M, Cheville A, Eton D. Building a Conceptual Framework of Treatment Burden After Kidney Transplant: A Qualitative Study. Am J Transplant. 2017;17 (suppl 3).
To cite this abstract in AMA style:
Lorenz E, Egginton J, Stegall M, Cheville A, Eton D. Building a Conceptual Framework of Treatment Burden After Kidney Transplant: A Qualitative Study. [abstract]. Am J Transplant. 2017; 17 (suppl 3). https://atcmeetingabstracts.com/abstract/building-a-conceptual-framework-of-treatment-burden-after-kidney-transplant-a-qualitative-study/. Accessed May 13, 2025.« Back to 2017 American Transplant Congress