Empowered Adaptation to Post-Transplant Life: A Qualitative Content Analysis of Self-Care Strategies Among Kidney Transplant Recipients in Northwestern Iran

Introduction: Kidney transplantation is the preferred treatment for end-stage renal disease, but requires lifelong self-care to ensure graft survival and quality of life. Despite Iran's high transplant rates, region-specific insights into self-care strategies among recipients remain limited, particularly in northwestern areas. This study aimed to explore self-care strategies among kidney transplant patients in Urmia, Iran, using qualitative content analysis.Methods: We employed a conventional qualitative content analysis design, recruiting ۱۸ kidney transplant recipients (aged ۲۴–۵۷ years, ۶ months to ۲۷ years post-transplant) via purposive sampling from outpatient clinics at Imam Khomeini Hospital, Urmia University of Medical Sciences. Data were collected through semi-structured, face-to-face interviews (January ۲۰۲۴–March ۲۰۲۵) until saturation, transcribed, coded, and analyzed following Graneheim and Lundman's approach using MAXQDA software. Trustworthiness was ensured through member checking and peer debriefing. Results: One overarching theme emerged: "Empowered Adaptation to Post-Transplant Life," supported by four categories: (۱) Building Personal Resilience (cultivating flexibility, fostering hope, nurturing spiritual well-being); (۲) Leveraging Social Support Networks (healthcare team interaction, family/friend support, community/peer engagement); (۳) Enhancing Self-Empowerment Through Knowledge (peer learning, health literacy, problem-solving); and (۴) Adjusting to New Lifestyle Realities (role changes, managing limitations, integrating routines).Conclusion: This study provides a nuanced, region-specific understanding of self-care in kidney transplant patients, emphasizing empowered adaptation as a pathway to improved outcomes. By bridging gaps in qualitative evidence from northwestern Iran, it offers actionable insights for enhancing post-transplant support, fostering resilience, and promoting health equity in a high-burden context.

کلیدواژه ها:

Kidney Transplantation ، Self-Care ، qualitative research