Life After Total Hip Replacement: A Qualitative Study on Patient Experiences

The present study aimed to determine the life experiences of patients undergoing total hip replacement. This study was a qualitative study conducted using the content analysis method. Using purposive sampling, 10 patients with total hip replacement were selected and interviewed. Data were collected using semistructured interviews and were analyzed using the content analysis method. The mean age of the 10 patients was 59.33 ± 9.9 years. Six patients were female and four were male. Of these 10 participants, eight were married and had nuclear families; all participants were literate, and seven belonged to the middle-income group. Four main themes and 10 subthemes were identified. The themes included a painful process (severe pain and feeling of pain due to emotional exhaustion), fear (fear of feeling pain, fear of moving, and fear of recurrence), difficulty (self-care, sleep, and participation in social life), and positive thinking about life (feeling good and hope). The participants expressed mostly negative life experiences while also pointing out the positive life experiences. This study provides an in-depth understanding of the views of patients with total hip replacement on life experiences. These results can be used in planning and implementing health services for patients with total hip replacement.