Peer-reviewed article
Journey Mapping the Unmet Needs in Pediatric Adenoid Hypertrophy: A Caregiver's Perspective.
Xu S, Feng X, Yu M, Xu T, Pan Z et al. ·
Summary
Written by AI, not yet AICS's view · claude-haiku-4-5-20251001This peer-reviewed qualitative study maps the patient journey for children with adenoid hypertrophy (enlarged adenoids) and identifies unmet needs from caregivers' perspectives. Using interviews with 25 caregivers of children aged 3-9 years, the research identified two emotional trajectories: those who chose surgery experienced a support crisis after discharge, while those on conservative treatment endured anxiety about treatment effectiveness. The study recommends targeted interventions to improve caregiver education, discharge planning, and follow-up care.
Key points
- Surgical path caregivers experienced post-discharge crisis due to lack of support
- Conservative path caregivers reported persistent anxiety from uncertainty about treatment efficacy
- Pathway-specific needs identified: post-discharge support and efficacy feedback
- Cross-cutting needs identified: proactive information and holistic habit guidance
- Findings recommend targeted interventions for caregiver education and multidisciplinary care pathways
Limitations
This is a qualitative study focused on caregiver perceptions rather than child health outcomes or clinical effectiveness. The study does not evaluate an intervention or measure improvements in child well-being outcomes.
Abstract
Objective To systematically map the patient journey and identify unmet needs in children with adenoid hypertrophy and their caregivers. Methods A qualitative study using in-depth interviews with 25 caregivers of children aged 3-9 years was conducted. Adenoid hypertrophy was confirmed by nasoendoscopy (≥70% obstruction) and/or polysomnography (OAHI >1 event/hour). Data were analyzed through reflexive thematic analysis to construct a comprehensive journey map. The emotional curve was derived qualitatively from caregiver narratives as a heuristic visualization of emotional trajectories across care stages, not as a quantitative measure. Results Analysis revealed two distinct emotional trajectories: surgical path caregivers experienced a post-discharge crisis due to support vacuum, while conservative path caregivers endured persistent anxiety from efficacy uncertainty. We identified both pathway-specific needs (post-discharge support, efficacy feedback) and cross-cutting needs (proactive information, holistic habit guidance). Conclusion This journey mapping provides an evidence-based framework for developing targeted interventions to inform caregiver education, discharge planning, follow-up strategies, and multidisciplinary care pathways, addressing critical system failures and enhancing patient-centered care in pediatric adenoid hypertrophy.