title: COPING SKILLS OF IRANIAN FAMILY CAREGIVERS' IN CARETAKING OF PATIENTS UNDERGOING HAEMODIALYSIS: A QUALITATIVE STUDY.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Coping skills enable caregivers to establish and maintain supportive relationships with the haemodialysis patients they care for. These skills are very important in terms of social support, promotion of mental health and social and family relations. The aim of this study is to investigate the coping skills of Iranian family caregivers as they take care of patients undergoing haemodialysis.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty participants were selected for the study through purposive sampling. The data gathering techniques used for the research were in-depth and unstructured interviews. The researchers used an inductive thematic analysis approach to analyse the data generated from the interviews.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Four main themes emerged from the data: help-seeking skills, self-nurturing skills, time management skills and stress management skills.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The focus of attention was on the stress management coping skills of the caregivers of haemodialysis patients together with their ability to cope with complex problems. Healthcare providers, by taking into account these skills and strategies of empowerment, can help other caregivers of haemodialysis patients cope with their heavy care conditions and better define their purposes in caretaking.
authors.affiliation: Department of Health Education and Promotion, School of Health, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran.
authors.forename: Ahmad Ali
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Eslami
authors.affiliation: Department of Health Education and Promotion, School of Health, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran.
authors.forename: Leili
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Rabiei
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Nursing and Midwifery, Khorasgan (Isfahan) Branch, Islamic Azad University, Isfahan, Iran.
authors.forename: Heidar Ali
authors.initials: HA
authors.lastname: Abedi
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, School of Medicine, Shahr-e-kord University of Medical Sciences, Shahr-e-kord, Iran.
authors.forename: Majid
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Shirani
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Nursing and Midwifery School, Shahr-e-kord University of Medical Sciences, Shahr-e-kord, Iran.
authors.forename: Reza
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Masoudi
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000328:Adult; D017028:Caregivers / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D057226:Information Seeking Behavior; D007492:Iran; D007674:Kidney Diseases / Q000150:complications / Q000523:psychology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D036301:Qualitative Research; D006435:Renal Dialysis / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000523:psychology; D012944:Social Support; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000209:etiology; D017748:Time Management / Q000523:psychology
keywords: Caregivers; Coping skills; Haemodialysis; Qualitative