Awareness and Behavior of Infection Prevention among Kidney Transplant Recipients in the Community

Abstract

　The purpose of this study was to clarify the perceptions and behaviors of kidney transplant recipients regarding infection prevention in the community. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 16 recipients who belonged to a kidney transplant patient association, and their awareness （knowledge and attitudes） and behaviors of kidney transplant recipients regarding infection prevention in the community were qualitatively analyzed using the KAB model.

　Three knowledge core categories were generated for kidney transplant recipients awareness, including “understanding of infection prevention guidance and its effectiveness”, and five attitude core categories were generated, including “feelings that infection prevention is not relevant to my life”. Four behavior core categories were generated for kidney transplant recipients, including “failure to implement infection prevention behavior”.

　Kidney transplant recipients chose infection prevention behaviors based on their own experiences, regardless of the effectiveness of infection control measures, and maintained the quality of their home life. For kidney transplant recipients to continue practicing infection prevention behaviors independently, it is essential for them to recognize physical conditions that make them susceptible to infection. To encourage behavioral changes in kidney transplant recipients, it is essential to provide not only guidance and information but also support through sharing successful experiences related to infection prevention and creating opportunities for interaction among patients.