Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41708175›Full record

ArticleBMJ open2026

Paediatric kidney transplant and school life: a qualitative study of children's academic experiences in Lahore, Pakistan.

Javeria Saleem, Raja Sajjad Asghar, Fatima Ali, Afia Zafar, Assia Riaz, Mehnaz Rashid, Fiza Khan, Falak Mehmood, Anamta Amjad, Laeeqa Saqib and 1 more

Abstract read
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Article in BMJ open, 2026. 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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4 · The record

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5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

11 authors.

Javeria SaleemPublic Health, Green International University, Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan javeria.hasan@hotmail.com.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-4295-7057
Raja Sajjad AsgharOrgan Procurement Cell, Punjab Human Organ Transplantation Authority, Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan.
Fatima AliDepartment of Public Health, University of the Punjab, Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan.
Afia ZafarJinnah Hospital, Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan.
Assia RiazDepartment of Public Health, University of the Punjab, Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan.
Mehnaz RashidInstitute of Administrative Sciences, University of the Punjab, Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan.
Fiza KhanDepartment of Public Health, University of the Punjab, Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan.
Falak MehmoodDepartment of Public Health, University of the Punjab, Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan.
Anamta AmjadDepartment of Public Health, University of the Punjab, Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan.
Laeeqa SaqibDepartment of Public Health, University of the Punjab, Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan.
Aon AbbasDepartment of Public Health, University of the Punjab, Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectivesPaediatric kidney transplantation, while life-saving, presents significant academic challenges for children. Frequent hospitalisations, medical treatments and the psychosocial impact of chronic illness can severely disrupt educational trajectories. This study aimed to explore the post-transplant academic experiences of children from the perspective of their parents.

designA qualitative phenomenological study. Data were collected through in-depth, semistructured interviews and analysed using inductive thematic analysis.

settingThe study was conducted in Lahore, Pakistan, with participants recruited from the registry of the Punjab Human Organ Transplantation Authority (PHOTA).

participantsThirteen parents of children who had undergone a kidney transplant and were enrolled in a formal school.

resultsFive major themes emerged from the analysis: (1) academic disruption and coping, detailing declines in performance and motivation alongside efforts to maintain engagement; (2) cognitive fatigue and emotional strain, encompassing reduced focus, memory difficulties and psychological distress; (3) school attendance, participation and support, highlighting frequent absenteeism, limited engagement in activities, and the critical role of institutional flexibility; (4) social identity and peer exclusion, revealing fears of stigma, self-isolation and misunderstanding from peers and (5) navigating the future, reflecting parental anxieties about long-term educational and career prospects alongside adaptive hope. The findings underscore that formal support systems in schools and healthcare settings are currently underdeveloped to meet these children's complex needs.

conclusionsThis study illuminates the profound and multifaceted academic challenges faced by children after kidney transplantation. The results emphasise that a transplant is not merely a medical event but a life-altering experience with significant educational consequences. There is a critical need for integrated, targeted interventions that provide robust psychological support, flexible educational policies and comprehensive school reintegration programmes to ensure these children can achieve their full academic and personal potential.

Indexed as

Kidney TransplantationParentsAbsenteeismAcademiaAdaptation, PsychologicalAdolescentChildFemaleHumansMalePakistanQualitative ResearchSchoolsStress, PsychologicalEnd stage renal failurePaediatric nephrologyPaediatric transplant surgeryPublic health

Identifiers

PMID41708175
PMCPMC12918661

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