PURPOSE
This study is descriptive study that confirms the affect of the factors of perceived stress and social support of the kidney transplantation recipient affect on the quality of life.
METHODS
167 subjects who have received kidney transplantation in a university hospital in G city. Data obtained are analyzed by SPSS Win 13.0.
RESULTS
The perceived stress based on transplantation related characteristics and general traits of kidney transplantation has significant differences only in frequency of admission. The subjects who had been supported by acquittances have more significant social support index. The quality of life has significant differences in number of admissions, gender and occupation. Also, when the perceived stress of kidney transplantation recipients is lower and social support is higher, the quality of life is higher. The perceived stress has 28.1% increment of quality of life. Adding social support, both of them affect 34.8% increment of quality of life.
CONCLUSION
To decrease the factor to cause the stress of kidney transplantation recipients, it is necessary to have social support networks and to develop plans and programs to increase the quality of life of recipients.

PURPOSE
This study was performed to identify relationships among stress, hardiness, and the level of self-care in kidney transplant patients and use the results of this study as baseline data for developing self-care promotion programs.
METHOD
Subjects were 41 patients who undergone a kidney transplantation surgery at least one month before and were receiving regular follow-up care via OPD. Four researchers interviewed each subjects by filling out questionnaires.
RESULTS
The mean score of the level of stress was 2.32(SD=0.54) on a 4 point scale and the mean score of hardiness was 4.68(SD=0.62) on a 6 point scale. The mean score of self-care among the subjects was 3.83(SD=0.55). There was statistically a significant positive relationship between self-care and hardiness(r=0.42). Especially, relationships between self-care and commitment (r=.51) and control(r=.36) as the sub- dimensions of hardiness were significant. The item suggested as most stressful was economic burden and the item suggested as least stressful was sexual activity.
CONCLUSION
Although transplant patients have various stressors, the positive self-care activities of the patients could be increased if the commitment and control were enhanced by proper intervention programs.

The purpose of this study is to develop and evaluate the Self Efficacy Promotion and Exercise Training Program to decrease anxiety and depression and to increase the quality of life for kidney transplant recipients. The subjects were selected randomly among the patients who underwent renal transplant at three major transplantation hospitals in Seoul, Korea. The observed subjects in this study consisted of 56 patients who had renal transplantations between one to twelve months prior to this study. The patients did not take any regular physical exercise. This study was carried out between November, 1999 and March, 2000. The study groups were divided into 3 groups; exercise training group (n=16), self efficacy group (n=18) and control group (n=22). The exercise training group received self efficacy promotion and exercise training program for 12 weeks. The self efficacy group received self efficacy promotion education, but no exercise training was given. The control group was not offered any education. The anxiety, depression and quality of life were evaluated 3 times, before the experiment, after 8 weeks and after 12 weeks. The data were analyzed with mean, standard deviation, Chi-square test, ANOVA and Scheff test. The results were as follows: 1. After the experiment, anxiety and depression scores of the exercise training group and self efficacy group were more significantly decreased than those of the control group (p=.05). 2. After the experiment, the quality of life score of the exercise training group and self efficacy group were more significantly increased than those of the control group (p=.05). This study showed that the Self Efficacy and Exercise Training Programs were effective. Therefore, it is expected that the Self Efficacy Promotion and Exercise Training Program could be widely applied as an effective independent nursing intervention to decrease anxiety and depression and to increase quality of life for kidney transplant recipients.

The purpose of this study was to explore the change of muscle strength, muscle endurance, flexibility and activities of daily living to develop a rehabilitational program. The subjects were selected randomly among the patients who underwent kidney transplantations at one major transplantation hospital in Seoul, Korea. This study was carried out between November 23, 1999 and February 15, 2000. The subjects in this study consisted of 16 patients who had kidney transplantations between 1 month and 12 months ago prior to this study. They were all on steroids and did not take any physical exercise regularly. The muscle strength, muscle endurance, flexibility and activities of daily living were evaluated at 1st week and after 12 weeks. The data were analyzed with numbers, percentiles, mean, standard deviation and t-test. The results were as follows: 1. After 12 weeks, the grip strength was significantly decreased than 1st week (p=.0002). 2. After 12 weeks, the back lift strength was significantly decreased than 1st week (p=.0002). 3. After 12 weeks, the muscle endurance was increased than 1st week, but it was not significant(p=.5487). After 12 weeks, the flexibility was significantly decreased than 1st week (p=.0002). 5. After 12 weeks, the activities of daily living was significantly decreased than 1st week (p=.0006). Like the above result, the kidney transplant receipients' muscle strength, flexibility and activities of daily living were reduced. In order to solve this problem, the writer has found that program development to prevent the defects should be extremely required. Since now on the number of patients should expand. After the kidney transplantation, the periods of 4, 8, 12 and 16 weeks are extended. The writer proposes to examine the different phase of change in each periods.

The purpose of this study was to explore the educational needs of kidney transplant patients and educational importance perceived by their nurses to develop a rehabilitational and educational program. Data were collected from January 29, 1999 to July 30, 1999 with interviews using a structured questionnaire. The subjects for this study were 173, of whom 107 were patients who had had a kidney transplant and had visited the out-patient department and 66 were transplant ward nurses who were taking care of the kidney transplant patients at six general hospitals located in Seoul. The questionnaire used for this study was developed by the investigator through a literature review and collected and modified by 11 professional personnel and 3 kidney transplant patients. The data were analyzed using the SAS program for numbers, percentiles, mean, standard deviation, t-test, ANOVA, and Scheff test. The results were as follows; 1) In the patient group, the total mean score for educational needs was 154.61 and the item mean score was 3.96. In the nurses group, the total mean score for perceived educational importance was 166.26 and the item mean score was 4.26. In the nurses group, perceived educational needs were scored higher than by the patient group. With regard to domains, both patient and nurses group had the highest educational needs and perceived educational importance in the domain of physical condition and the top five items in the educational needs and perceived educational importance were also in the domain of physical condition. 2) In the patient group, women and the divorce/bereavement group had higher educational needs in the domain of nutritional management, those who had been admitted longer than 4 weeks from their kidney transplant time had higher educational needs in the domains of physical condition and those who were less than 4 years from their transplant had higher educational needs in the domain of follow-up care. In the nurses group, those who were married had higher perceived educational importance in the domain of physical condition.

The purpose of this study is to develop and evaluate the Self Efficacy Promotion and Exercise Program to prevent of obesity and cardiovascular diseases for the kidney transplant recipients. The subjects were selected randomly among the patients who underwent kidney transplantations at one major transplantation hospital in Seoul, Korea. This study ws carried out between November 23, 1999 and February 15, 2000. The subjects in this study consisted of 16 patients who had kidney transplantations between 1 month and 12 months ago prior to this study. They were all on steroids therapy and did not take any physical exercise regularly. The subjects received the self efficacy promotion and exercise program for 12 weeks which contained self efficacy promotion education and exercise program. The weight, body fat rate, exercise time and cardiopulmonary function were evaluated before the experiment and after the experiment. The results were as follows: 1. After the experiment, the weight was significantly decreased than that of before the experiment(p=.0001). 2. After the experiment, the body fat rate was significantly decreased than that of before the experiment(p=.0010). 3. After the experiment, the exercise time was significantly increased than that of before the experiment(p=.0002). 4. After the experiment, the absolute VO2 was significantly increased than that of before the experiment(p=.0008). 5. After the experiment, the relative VO2 was significantly increased than that of before the experiment(p=.0002). This study showed that the self efficacy promotion and exercise program was effective. So it would be expected that this self efficacy promotion and exercise program could be applied as an effective independent nursing intervention widely in prevention of obesity and cardiovascular diseases for kidney transplant recipients.

The purpose of this study was to understand and describe how people with kidney transplantation experience using grounded theory method. Purposeful sampling was employed. Total of 20 kidney recipients participated in the study. To collect the data 11 individual in-depth interviewes and two focus group interviews were utilized. Each interview took about one hour, ranging from one to three hours and were audio-taped under the permission of the participants. All interviewes were transcribed to analyze. The results of the study show three stages of life process after kidney transplantation; 1) honeymoon stage, 2) anxiety and depression stage: 3) recovery and stable stage. In the honeymoon stage, all kidney recipients were exhilerated after the operation. They were happy receiving healthy kidney from others, often from beloved families. In the anxiety and depression stage, however, they experienced numerous psychosocial problems mainly due to the health, interpersonal, financial, and physical appearance problems. In the recovery and stable stage, they came out from the psychosocial problems by viewing their situation more objectively and by using many effective coping strategies to imporve their quality of life. Nine strategies which were identified as significant are 1) complying therapeutic regimens, 2) seeking information, 3) keeping their own job, 4) restricting social activities, 5) lowering aimes in their life, 6) managing the fact about their own kidney transplantation, 7) comforting themselves by comparing with others, 8) living religious or altruistic life, and 9) accepting redialysis and retransplantation. In the end, most of them experienced changed value system of life. They were satisfied with their current life, and thanked for living so many years after the transplantation. However, some of them, especially younger ones, regreted of losing hope and ambition they had planned when they were young. And many of them also experienced restricted social life, financial difficulties, and continuous fear of rejection of kidney. The results of the study might help nurses who work with kidney recipients in establishing and implementing effective nursing interventions by understanding the stages of life after kidney transplantations as well as their problems and strategies.