Exploring the information needs of adolescents and their parents throughout the kidney transplant continuum

Context—Adolescents are at higher risk for organ loss than are all other age groups, but no studies have been conducted to examine the specific information needs of adolescents. A better understanding of adolescents' information needs is essential for developing programs tailored to their unique requirements.Objective—To explore information needs of adolescents who have undergone kidney transplantation in order to inform development of an education program.Design—A qualitative descriptive design was used. Focus groups (n = 2) were conducted by using a semistructured interview guide. Transcribed data were organized into categories that reflected emerging themes by using simple content analysis.Participants and Setting—A convenience sample of 8 adolescents (50% female) who varied in age, donor type, and time since transplantation were recruited from a large Canadian tertiary care pediatric center.Results—Adolescents articulated that the process of undergoing kidney transplant was very stressful and affected...