The Lived Experiences of African American and Latinx Family Caregivers of Patients with Chronic Kidney Disease

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is highly prevalent in African American and Latinx communities. Both communities practice collectivistic values, prioritizing family caregiving and making them integral parts of their patients’ CKD care teams. Therefore, this study adopts photo-elicitation to explore the lived experiences of African American and Latinx family caregivers of CKD patients in the United States. The analysis yields four themes. Theme 1 highlights family caregivers’ support, including instrumental and emotional care. Theme 2 explains how family caregivers’ knowledge of CKD evolved throughout their caregiving journey, from being unaware to becoming knowledgeable about CKD and adapting their lifestyles in kidney-friendly ways. Theme 3 illustrates the emotional and practical challenges experienced by caregivers in their journeys. Finally, Theme 4 highlights how they coped with caregiving adversities through emotional strength, optimism, and resilience. These findings would help develop supportive interventions tailored to these populations and draw policy attention to establish holistic care.