Adjustment Experience of Kidney Transplantation Recipients in Korea

The purpose of this study was to understand the adjustment process after kidney transplantation.

The research method followed grounded theory methodology of Strauss and Corbin. Twelve recipients after kidney transplantation were selected. The data were collected through in-depth, face-to-face interviews or e-mailing or phone-interviews and analyzed by means of a constant comparative method.

Through the category analysis, "struggling for independence" was verified as the central phenomenon of recipients, and the causal conditions that influence this phenomenon were "unpredictable physical status," "the difficulty of self-care," "apathy of families and friends," and "emotional instability." The contextual conditions were "social prejudice" and "difficulty in returning to society," and the intervening conditions were "significant others support" and "religious support." The action/interaction strategies were "inner reviewing strategies," "interactive strategies," and "active self-maintaining strategies." From this observation, "establishing guidelines for living" was derived as the result.

The results of this study provided deep understanding on the adjustment process after kidney transplantation, and this would help to provide a frame for individualized medical and nursing intervention strategies in assisting the psychosocial adaptation of the kidney transplantation recipient.