Information needs of kidney transplant patients on social media: a qualitative study
Abstract Background Recent years have seen an increase in internet and social media usage, with individuals turning to these platforms for health-related information. Kidney transplant recipients and candidates are among those who actively engage in sharing their experiences and seeking information...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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BMC
2025-07-01
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| Series: | BMC Nephrology |
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12882-025-04331-9 |
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| author | Bilgen Arikan Emine Sardagi Cigdem Erdem |
| author_facet | Bilgen Arikan Emine Sardagi Cigdem Erdem |
| author_sort | Bilgen Arikan |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background Recent years have seen an increase in internet and social media usage, with individuals turning to these platforms for health-related information. Kidney transplant recipients and candidates are among those who actively engage in sharing their experiences and seeking information online. This study aims to identify the information needs of kidney transplant candidates and recipients based on their social media posts. Methods A qualitative research design was adopted, focusing on Facebook groups related to kidney transplantation in Türkiye. A total of 496 posts from four active groups, shared between January 1 and December 31, 2023, were analyzed. The data were examined through an inductive approach, where initial codes were developed to identify key themes and sub-themes. Content analysis was used in the evaluation of the data. Results Content analysis of 496 posts revealed four major themes: (i) “Encountered Problems,” (ii) “Medical Information,” (iii) “Organ Need,” and (iv) “Procedure.” In addition, seventeen sub-themes related to the main themes were identified. The majority of posts belonged to the “Encountered Problems” theme, with the highest number of shares concerning physiological issues. The most frequently shared posts were physiological symptoms, difficulties accessing medications, and emotional distress, especially in relation to transplantation complications and post-operative challenges. Posts also showed a strong demand for medical guidance (e.g., physician recommendations, post-transplant care, nutrition), while ethical concerns, organ donor searches, and procedural uncertainties (e.g. patient selection criteria, retirement prosedure) were also common. Conclusions The Individuals who have undergone kidney transplantation or are waiting for transplantation need information on many different physiological and psycho-social issues. Social media has emerged as an important platform where these needs are expressed and peer support is provided. These findings suggest the necessity of implementing personalized education programs for patients and their families and expanding remote care practices such as telehealth services (e.g., tele-nursing and online counseling). Clinical trial number Not applicable. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-90269fc9b0cf4d419e618fec92de0a16 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 1471-2369 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-07-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | BMC Nephrology |
| spelling | doaj-art-90269fc9b0cf4d419e618fec92de0a162025-08-20T04:01:53ZengBMCBMC Nephrology1471-23692025-07-0126111110.1186/s12882-025-04331-9Information needs of kidney transplant patients on social media: a qualitative studyBilgen Arikan0Emine Sardagi1Cigdem Erdem2Faculty of Health Sciences, Department of Nursing, Usak UniversityFaculty of Communication, Department of Public Relations and Advertising, Usak UniversityFaculty of Health Sciences, Department of Nursing, Suleyman Demirel UniversityAbstract Background Recent years have seen an increase in internet and social media usage, with individuals turning to these platforms for health-related information. Kidney transplant recipients and candidates are among those who actively engage in sharing their experiences and seeking information online. This study aims to identify the information needs of kidney transplant candidates and recipients based on their social media posts. Methods A qualitative research design was adopted, focusing on Facebook groups related to kidney transplantation in Türkiye. A total of 496 posts from four active groups, shared between January 1 and December 31, 2023, were analyzed. The data were examined through an inductive approach, where initial codes were developed to identify key themes and sub-themes. Content analysis was used in the evaluation of the data. Results Content analysis of 496 posts revealed four major themes: (i) “Encountered Problems,” (ii) “Medical Information,” (iii) “Organ Need,” and (iv) “Procedure.” In addition, seventeen sub-themes related to the main themes were identified. The majority of posts belonged to the “Encountered Problems” theme, with the highest number of shares concerning physiological issues. The most frequently shared posts were physiological symptoms, difficulties accessing medications, and emotional distress, especially in relation to transplantation complications and post-operative challenges. Posts also showed a strong demand for medical guidance (e.g., physician recommendations, post-transplant care, nutrition), while ethical concerns, organ donor searches, and procedural uncertainties (e.g. patient selection criteria, retirement prosedure) were also common. Conclusions The Individuals who have undergone kidney transplantation or are waiting for transplantation need information on many different physiological and psycho-social issues. Social media has emerged as an important platform where these needs are expressed and peer support is provided. These findings suggest the necessity of implementing personalized education programs for patients and their families and expanding remote care practices such as telehealth services (e.g., tele-nursing and online counseling). Clinical trial number Not applicable.https://doi.org/10.1186/s12882-025-04331-9Kidney transplantationSocial media, information needsNursing, Qualitative research |
| spellingShingle | Bilgen Arikan Emine Sardagi Cigdem Erdem Information needs of kidney transplant patients on social media: a qualitative study BMC Nephrology Kidney transplantation Social media, information needs Nursing, Qualitative research |
| title | Information needs of kidney transplant patients on social media: a qualitative study |
| title_full | Information needs of kidney transplant patients on social media: a qualitative study |
| title_fullStr | Information needs of kidney transplant patients on social media: a qualitative study |
| title_full_unstemmed | Information needs of kidney transplant patients on social media: a qualitative study |
| title_short | Information needs of kidney transplant patients on social media: a qualitative study |
| title_sort | information needs of kidney transplant patients on social media a qualitative study |
| topic | Kidney transplantation Social media, information needs Nursing, Qualitative research |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12882-025-04331-9 |
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