“Embracing a Borrowed Life”: A Narrative Analysis of Post-Transplantation Experiences among Indian Kidney Recipients
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Date
2025-06
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Wolters Kluwer – Medknow
Abstract
This study systematically examined the multifaceted dimensions of the posttransplantation experiences of Indian kidney recipients through a meticulous narrative analysis of clinical interview data sourced from 111 male and 28 female recipients. The mean age of recipients was 39.63 ± 11.61 years, while donors exhibited a mean age of 48.68 ± 11.81 years. A predominant 33.8% of all donors were identified as maternal contributors. A central thematic construct, “fear of graft rejection,” emerged from the data. Subsequently, five subordinate themes were discerned: (i) Maintenance immunosuppressants and disease vulnerability, (ii) Translating gaze as nazar (evil eye), (iii) Decisions within families, donations by women, and (iv) Graft as a gift of life. This comprehensive elucidation of the recipients’ perspectives augments the scholarly comprehension of the intricate challenges and decision-making processes inherent in the landscape of Indian kidney transplantation, characterized by a preponderance of living donations within familial networks.
Description
Keywords
Gift of life, kidney transplant recipients, living donors, narrative analysis
Citation
Kumar N, Tandon A, Rana R, Sachdeva MP, Gupta A, Rana DS. “Embracing a Borrowed Life”: A Narrative Analysis of Post-Transplantation Experiences among Indian Kidney Recipients. Indian Journal of Public Health. 2025 Jun; 69(2): 218-220