[Experiences of Ego Integrity Recovery in Elderly Cancer Patients: Grounded Theory Approach]

Decision-making experiences regarding kidney transplant among older adults in South Korea: A qualitative descriptive study

OBJECTIVES

To explore the decision-making experiences of older patients with end-stage renal disease who chose to undergo kidney transplantation.

METHODS

This was a qualitative descriptive study.Twelve participants aged over 60 years who underwent kidney transplantation were recruited from a kidney transplant clinic in a hospital in South Korea. Individual in-depth interviews were conducted from March to April 2021. The data were analysed using inductive thematic analysis.

RESULTS

Four main themes were identified: 1) hesitation towards complex and risky kidney transplant, 2) internal suffering due to social prejudice and limits, 3) taking a step back from the decision-making process, and 4) being rushed into a decision on the brink of death.

CONCLUSION

Older patients with end-stage renal disease experience hesitation and difficulties and are passive in the decision-making process for a kidney transplant. They lacked sufficient relevant information and decided to receive transplant surgery, feeling pressured by the recommendations of family and healthcare providers.

PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS

Healthcare professionals should help older patients with end-stage renal disease make proactive decisions by providing tailored education programs and improving communication between the patients and their family members. Changing negative social perceptions and implementing supportive policies are necessary to resolve the difficulties experienced by such patients.

PATIENT OR PUBLIC CONTRIBUTION

Patients were involved in the data collection as interview participants in this study.

Qualitative Research in Healthcare: Data Analysis

Qualitative research methodology has been applied with increasing frequency in various fields, including in healthcare research, where quantitative research methodology has traditionally dominated, with an empirically driven approach involving statistical analysis. Drawing upon artifacts and verbal data collected from in-depth interviews or participatory observations, qualitative research examines the comprehensive experiences of research participants who have experienced salient yet unappreciated phenomena. In this study, we review 6 representative qualitative research methodologies in terms of their characteristics and analysis methods: consensual qualitative research, phenomenological research, qualitative case study, grounded theory, photovoice, and content analysis. We mainly focus on specific aspects of data analysis and the description of results, while also providing a brief overview of each methodology's philosophical background. Furthermore, since quantitative researchers have criticized qualitative research methodology for its perceived lack of validity, we examine various validation methods of qualitative research. This review article intends to assist researchers in employing an ideal qualitative research methodology and in reviewing and evaluating qualitative research with proper standards and criteria.