Dataset Information

Life and expectations post-kidney transplant: a qualitative analysis of patient responses.

ABSTRACT:

Background

The effect of a kidney transplant on a recipient extends beyond the restoration of kidney function. However, there is limited qualitative analysis of recipient perspectives on life following transplantation, particularly in the United States. To understand the full patient experience, it is necessary to understand recipient views on life adjustments after kidney transplantation, medical management, and quality of life. This could lead to improvements in recipient care and sense of well-being.

Methods

We conducted a paper-based survey from March 23 to October 1, 2015 of 476 kidney transplant recipients at the University of Michigan Health System in Ann Arbor, Michigan. We analyzed their open-ended responses using qualitative research methods. This is a companion analysis to a previous quantitative report on the closed-ended responses to that survey.

Results

Common themes relating to changes following transplantation included: improvements in quality of life, a return to normalcy, better health and more energy. Concerns included: duration of graft survival, fears about one day returning to dialysis or needing to undergo another kidney transplant, comorbidities, future quality of life, and the cost and quality of their healthcare. Many recipients were grateful for their transplant, but some were anxious about the burdens transplantation placed on their loved ones.

Conclusions

While most recipients reported meaningful improvements in health and lifestyle after kidney transplantation, a minority of participants experienced declines in energy or health status. Worries about how long the transplant will function, future health, and cost and quality of healthcare are prevalent. Future research could study the effects of providing additional information, programs, and interventions following transplantation that target these concerns. This may better prepare and support kidney recipients and lead to improvements in the patient experience.

SUBMITTER: Tucker EL

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6524208 | biostudies-literature | 2019 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Publications

Life and expectations post-kidney transplant: a qualitative analysis of patient responses.

Tucker Emily L EL Smith Abigail R AR Daskin Mark S MS Schapiro Hannah H Cottrell Sabrina M SM Gendron Evelyn S ES Hill-Callahan Peg P Leichtman Alan B AB Merion Robert M RM Gill Stephen J SJ Maass Kayse Lee KL

BMC nephrology 20190516 1

<h4>Background</h4>The effect of a kidney transplant on a recipient extends beyond the restoration of kidney function. However, there is limited qualitative analysis of recipient perspectives on life following transplantation, particularly in the United States. To understand the full patient experience, it is necessary to understand recipient views on life adjustments after kidney transplantation, medical management, and quality of life. This could lead to improvements in recipient care and sens ...[more]

PMID: 31096942

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Project description:BackgroundThere is variation in time to listing and rates of listing for transplantation between renal units in the UK. While research has mainly focused on healthcare organization, little is known about patient perspectives of entry onto the transplant waiting list. This qualitative study aimed to explore patients' views and experiences of kidney transplant listing.MethodsSemi-structured interviews were conducted with patients aged under 75, who were on dialysis and on the transplant waiting list, not on the waiting list, undergoing assessment for listing or who had received a transplant. Patients were recruited from a purposive sample of nine UK renal units, which included transplanting and non-transplanting units and units with high and low wait-listing patterns. Interviews were transcribed verbatim and analysed using thematic analysis.ResultsFifty-three patients (5-7 per renal unit) were interviewed. Patients reported that they had received little information about the listing process. Some patients did not know if they were listed or had found they were not listed when they had thought they were on the list. Others expressed distress when they felt they had been excluded from potential listing based on age and/or comorbidity and felt the process was unfair. Many patients were not aware of pre-emptive transplantation and believed they had to be on dialysis before being able to be listed. There was some indication that pre-emptive transplantation was discussed more often in transplant than non-transplant units. Lastly, some patients were reluctant to consider family members as potential donors as they reported they would feel 'guilty' if the donor suffered subsequent negative effects.ConclusionsFindings suggest a need to review current practice to further understand individual and organizational reasons for the renal unit variation identified in patient understanding of transplant listing. The communication of information warrants attention to ensure patients are fully informed about the listing process and opportunity for pre-emptive transplantation in a way that is meaningful and understandable to them.

Project description:Background and Objectives: Kidney transplant recipients represent a unique population with metabolic abnormalities, altered nutritional and immune status, as well as an imbalanced regulation of adipocytokine metabolism. Leptin is a hormonally active protein mainly produced by fat tissue that modulates appetite, satiety, and influences growth, energy, and bone metabolism. There has been great interest in the role of this hormone in chronic kidney disease-related protein energy wasting; thus, a positive leptin correlation with body mass index and fat mass was confirmed. This study was designed to determine the association of pre and post-kidney transplant leptin concentration with nutritional status and body composition. Materials and Methods: We studied 65 kidney transplant recipients. Nutritional status was evaluated before kidney transplantation and 6 months later using three different malnutrition screening tools (Subjective Global Assessment Scale (SGA), Malnutrition Inflammation Score (MIS), and Geriatric Nutritional Risk Index (GNRI)), anthropometric measurements, and body composition (bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA)). Demographic profile, serum leptin levels, and other biochemical nutritional markers were collected. Statistical analysis was performed with R software. Results: Median age of the studied patients was 45 years, 42% were females, and 12% had diabetes. Leptin change was associated with body weight (p < 0.001), waist circumference (p < 0.001), fat mass (p < 0.001) and body fat percentage (p < 0.001), decrease in parathyroid hormone (PTH) (p < 0.001) transferrin (p < 0.001), diabetes mellitus (p = 0.010), and residual renal function (p = 0.039), but not dependent on dialysis vintage, estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR), or delayed graft function at any time during the study. After adjustment for age and sex, body mass index (BMI) (p < 0.001), fat mass (p < 0.001), and body fat percentage (p < 0.001) were independent variables significantly associated with post-transplant leptin change. Lower leptin values were found both before and after kidney transplantation in the SGA B group. GNRI as a nutritional status tool was strongly positively related to changes in leptin within the 6-month follow-up period. Conclusions: Kidney transplant recipients experience change in leptin concentration mainly due to an increase in fat mass and loss of muscle mass. GNRI score as compared to SGA or MIS score identifies patients in whom leptin concentration is increasing alongside an accumulation of fat and decreasing muscle mass. Leptin concentration evaluation in combination with BIA, handgrip strength measurement, and GNRI assessment are tools of importance in defining nutrition status in the early post-kidney transplant period.

Project description:BackgroundPhysicians have dual responsibilities to make medical decisions that serve their patients' best interests but also utilize health care resources wisely. Their ability to practice cost-consciously is particularly challenged when faced with patient expectations or requests for medical services that may be unnecessary.ObjectiveTo understand how physicians consider health care resources and the strategies they use to exercise cost-consciousness in response to patient expectations and requests for medical care.DesignExploratory, qualitative focus groups of practicing physicians were conducted. Participants were encouraged to discuss their perceptions of resource constraints, and experiences with redundant, unnecessary and marginally beneficial services, and were asked about patient requests or expectations for particular services.ParticipantsSixty-two physicians representing a variety of specialties and practice types participated in nine focus groups in Michigan, Ohio, and Minnesota in 2012 MEASUREMENTS: Iterative thematic content analysis of focus group transcriptsPrincipal findingsPhysicians reported making trade-offs between a variety of financial and nonfinancial resources, considering not only the relative cost of medical decisions and alternative services, but the time and convenience of patients, their own time constraints, as well as the logistics of maintaining a successful practice. They described strategies and techniques to educate patients, build trust, or substitute less costly alternatives when appropriate, often adapting their management to the individual patient and clinical environment.ConclusionsPhysicians often make nuanced trade-offs in clinical practice aimed at efficient resource use within a complex flow of clinical work and patient expectations. Understanding the challenges faced by physicians and the strategies they use to exercise cost-consciousness provides insight into policy measures that will address physician's roles in health care resource use.

Dataset Information

Life and expectations post-kidney transplant: a qualitative analysis of patient responses.

Background

Methods

Results

Conclusions

Publications

Life and expectations post-kidney transplant: a qualitative analysis of patient responses.

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