title: The psychosocial impact of donating a kidney: long-term follow-up from a urology based center.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We conducted a psychosocial followup of living kidney donors from 1983 to 1995.
  
  
  METHODS
  A new questionnaire about donor satisfaction and the Medical Outcomes Study Short-Form Health Survey, a standardized measure of health related quality of life, were completed by 167 donors (67% response rate).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of respondents 90% would make the same choice again and 83% would strongly encourage others to donate. However, 15% of respondents believed that donating had impacted negatively on their health and 23% reported negative financial consequences. Respondent health related quality of life was not impaired. The strongest correlates of donor dissatisfaction included a conflicted initial relationship with the recipient, believing that information given preoperatively had been inadequate and perceived damage to health or finances.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Only a minority of living kidney donors suffer psychosocial morbidity. Better psychological preparation for surgery and more consistent followup could decrease negative outcomes further.
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, The Cleveland Clinic Foundation, Ohio 44195-5041, USA.
authors.forename: L R
authors.initials: LR
authors.lastname: Schover
authors.forename: S B
authors.initials: SB
authors.lastname: Streem
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Boparai
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Duriak
authors.forename: A C
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Novick
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003365:Costs and Cost Analysis; D005195:Family Relations; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D016030:Kidney Transplantation / Q000191:economics; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D011788:Quality of Life; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013997:Time Factors; D014019:Tissue Donors / Q000523:psychology*