Navigating isolation— barriers and multidimensional support needs in symptom self-management for HSCT patients within laminar airflow rooms: a descriptive qualitative study

Hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) is a crucial therapy for hematological malignancies and other conditions. However, the intensive therapy and required isolation place significant physical and psychological burdens on patients. Although effective symptom self-management during isolation is pivotal, the current efforts are often challenged, leading to distress and feelings of loss of control. Nevertheless, research specifically addressing the self-management needs and barriers faced by patients with HSCT confined to laminar airflow rooms is limited. This study aimed to explore the barriers and needs related to symptom self-management among patients in laminar airflow rooms who underwent HSCT. A descriptive, qualitative study was conducted. Symptom management theory (SMT) was used as the theoretical framework. Purposive sampling was used to select participants, and 22 patients who were adult HSCT recipients at a large tertiary hospital in Fujian Province, China were recruited. Face-to-face, semi-structured, in-depth interviews were conducted between October 2023 and January 2024 at the Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplant Center of a large tertiary hospital in Fujian Province, China. The interviews were transcribed verbatim and analyzed using content analysis methods. A total of 22 patients were recruited, leading to the identification of 3 themes and 11 subthemes: (1) limited awareness of symptom self-management: dependency, passive suffering; (2) information acquisition barriers: lack of courage and skills in communication, clinician time constraints, and overwhelming and diverse online information; (3) multidimensional support needs: need for proactive symptom management, timely and effective symptom response need, internal support and self-regulation, longing for family and friends’ support and companionship, peer support, and looking forward to an interactive information platform. This study has indicated that patients with HSCT in laminar airflow rooms face diverse barriers to symptom self-management and express a strong desire for multidimensional support. These findings emphasise the importance of healthcare providers strengthening proactive symptom education during protective isolation, facilitating family and peer support systems, and exploring the creation of interactive digital platforms. The provision of such comprehensive and personalized support is essential to empower patients in managing their symptoms and to improve their overall quality of life.