Constructing a theoretical model based on grounded theory to evaluate the downstream effects of home caregiver burden in hemodialysis patients

This study aimed to develop an analytical theoretical model of care burden's downstream effects on hemodialysis patients' family caregivers using grounded theory (Strauss-Corbin paradigm). From January to June 2023, 80 caregivers from three tertiary hospitals were selected via purposive and theoretical sampling. Semi-structured interviews collected qualitative data; the Zarit Burden Interview (ZBI) aided sampling (selecting those with mild-to-severe burden) and validation, not core quantitative analysis. NVIVO 12.0 supported three-level coding, with anonymized interview vignettes and trustworthiness strategies (triangulation, etc.) boosting transparency. Results identified five dimensions (mental health as core) and a dynamic transmission pathway forming a burden cycle, first revealing this mechanism to guide clinical multi-dimensional interventions.