Qualitative study on the sense of meaning in life in uremic patients undergoing initial hemodialysis

Int J Qual Stud Health Well-being. 2025 Dec;20(1):2545262. doi: 10.1080/17482631.2025.2545262. Epub 2025 Aug 19.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: For patients with uraemia, the most effective treatment, aside from surgical interventions like kidney transplantation, is maintenance haemodialysis. First-time haemodialysis patients often lack an understanding of the treatment, making them susceptible to negative emotions such as anxiety and depression, as well as shifts in their perception of life’s meaning. This study aims to explore the sense of meaning in life experienced by patients undergoing their first session of haemodialysis.

METHODS: This qualitative study employed purposive sampling to select 11 patients, followed by semi-structured in-depth interviews. The content analysis approach proposed by Graneheim and Lundman was employed to analyze the data.

RESULTS: Four main categories and ten subcategories emerged from the data. The categories included: (1) Experiencing shock and loss in life, (2) Longing for emotional and psychological support, (3) Adapting and adjusting to the sense of meaning in life, and (4) Growth and transcendencein the cognitive development of life’s meaning.

CONCLUSIONS: Patients new to haemodialysis often undergo a complex and dynamic process. Healthcare professionals should implement targeted strategies to assist these patients in adjusting and adapting to changes in their sense of life’s meaning.

PMID:40827499 | DOI:10.1080/17482631.2025.2545262