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Health care follow‐up by live kidney donors more than three yr post‐nephrectomy
Author(s) -
Weng Francis L.,
Reese Peter P.,
Waterman Amy D.,
Soto Angelo G.,
Demissie Kitaw,
Mulgaonkar Shamkant
Publication year - 2012
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.1399-0012.2012.01660.x
Subject(s) - medicine , nephrectomy , health care , kidney transplantation , kidney , donation , kidney transplant , kidney donation , family medicine , demographics , demography , sociology , economics , economic growth
Background Live kidney donors are advised to follow up regularly with healthcare providers to monitor kidney function and to diagnose and treat relevant comorbidities. We sought to determine the frequency and correlates of follow‐up care among live kidney donors. Methods We sent a mailed questionnaire to 606 live kidney donors from a single center who were at least three yr post‐nephrectomy. Results We received usable responses from 276 (45.5%), at a median of 6.2 yr post‐donation. Compared with non‐responders, responding donors were more likely to be older (p < 0.001), female (p = 0.002), white (p < 0.001), and married to the recipient (p < 0.001). In the prior year, 87.7% of respondents reported seeing a physician or other healthcare professional, and 79.0% had seen a “general doctor” such as their primary care provider. In univariable analyses of live kidney donors who responded to our survey, lack of medical follow‐up in the past year was associated with younger age, current lack of health insurance, and infrequent contact with the transplant recipient. Conclusions Most responding live kidney donors had seen a healthcare provider within the past year. To improve donors’ follow‐up, transplant centers can consider targeting donors who are younger or lack health insurance.