Premium
Psychological effects of living related kidney transplantation – risks and chances
Author(s) -
Heck Gretel,
Schweitzer Jochen,
SeidelWiesel Maria
Publication year - 2004
Publication title -
clinical transplantation
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.918
H-Index - 76
eISSN - 1399-0012
pISSN - 0902-0063
DOI - 10.1111/j.1399-0012.2004.00285.x
Subject(s) - psychosocial , medicine , transplantation , anxiety , donation , kidney transplantation , clearance , depression (economics) , intensive care medicine , clinical psychology , psychiatry , surgery , urology , economics , macroeconomics , economic growth
Background: Recipients of living donor kidney transplantation hope for an improved physical well‐being after transplant. Furthermore the patients and their relatives frequently expect an improvement in their psychological findings in consequence of the living related transplantation. The present study examines the psychosocial effects of living donor kidney transplantation for donors and recipients under successful as well as complicated circumstances. Material and methods: Based on 31 catamnestic interviews of recipient–donor couples and a content analysis of these interviews, hypotheses regarding the psychological requirements for a successful progression of a living kidney donation are deduced and put forward. Results: The aspiration for an improvement of psychological problems, particularly anxiety and depression, as an effect of transplantation can on the basis of the present results not be supported. Living donor kidney transplantation between close recipient and donors must not be regarded as a means to solve psychological problems and familial conflicts. An attitude characterized by realistic and modest expectations as well as relationships, which have been cleared of extreme conflicts prior to the transplantation could facilitate a favourable psychological progression.