Perceived Problems of Patients with Chronic Respiratory Failure: a Qualitative Study

Abstract

Chronic respiratory failure is one of the concerns of the World Health Organization because of its widespread prevalence in the world. This disease has led to individual, family, and social dysfunction in these patients with a wide impact on physical, mental, and psychological dimensions. Considering the importance of this issue, the present study was conducted to explain the patients' perceived problems with chronic respiratory failure. The present qualitative study was performed using the conventional content analysis approach. Target targeted sampling selected chronic patients with respiratory failure from Shahid Sayyad Shirazi Hospital in Gorgan, Iran. Semi-structured face-to-face interviews were conducted with 15 patients. Graneheim and Lundman content analysis approach analyzed data. Data management was performed by MAXQDA 10. Data analysis was summarized in 2 main categories and eight subcategories. Patients' perceived problems with chronic respiratory failure were extracted in two main categories and eight subclasses. The first main category of "perceived economic problems" with the instability subclasses of treatment costs, unemployment and insufficient income, unable to cover expenses, and the second main category of " unable to measure basic needs " with the subclasses of sexual dysfunction, defecation problems, eating disorders, sleep disorders and health problems. Policymakers and stakeholders, health system planners, welfare organizations, and support organizations should use supportive strategies to reduce or eliminate the problems of patients with chronic respiratory failure using the knowledge and understanding of their perceived problems.