Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40676544›Full record

ArticleBMC nephrology2025

Information needs of kidney transplant patients on social media: a qualitative study.

Bilgen Arikan, Emine Sardagi, Cigdem Erdem

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in BMC nephrology, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

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1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

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2 · The registry

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3 · Its place in the literature

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No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

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PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

3 authors.

Bilgen ArikanFaculty of Health Sciences, Department of Nursing, Usak University, Usak, Türkiye.ORCID 0000-0001-7194-6010
Emine SardagiFaculty of Communication, Department of Public Relations and Advertising, Usak University, Usak, Türkiye. emine.sardagi@usak.edu.tr.ORCID 0000-0003-2042-679X
Cigdem ErdemFaculty of Health Sciences, Department of Nursing, Suleyman Demirel University, Isparta, Türkiye.ORCID 0000-0002-1058-0294

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundRecent 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.

methodsA 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.

resultsContent 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.

conclusionsThe 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.

Indexed as

Information Seeking BehaviorKidney TransplantationSocial MediaTransplant RecipientsAdultFemaleHumansMaleMiddle AgedNeeds AssessmentQualitative ResearchTurkeyKidney transplantationNursing, Qualitative researchSocial media, information needs

Identifiers

PMID40676544
PMCPMC12273368

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.