Abstract
Living kidney donation has become an increasingly important treatment option in transplantation medicine. Both course and outcomes of the transplantation are influenced by various psychological factors. These factors are presented in this literature review. A literature research was conducted regarding psychological issues relevant to living kidney donation and transplantation.
First, decision-related motives and variables are discussed, followed by a synopsis of socio-demographic (e.g., age) and psychosocial (e.g., diseaserelated expectations, coping strategies) variables that affect pre-operative and post-operative quality of life and well-being. Other relevant issues that are dealt with in this review include social and family relationships before and after transplantation, body image, compliance, and health behavior.
Finally, following a discussion on the relevance of living kidney donation and transplantation, the need for further research in areas such as posttransplant care programs and a more comprehensive consideration of indicators of post-operative well-being and recipient health-related behavior are highlighted.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.