title: Psychiatric assessment in transplantation.
abstract: The implementation of the presumptive donor law in Brazil is expected to increase the availability of organs for transplantation. As medical management of end-stage organ dysfunction continues to improve, increasing numbers of potential transplant recipients will be available to meet this supply. There is mounting evidence that supports the involvement of skilled psychiatric practitioners in the selection of transplant candidates. Data supporting the influence of psychosocial factors on compliance and therefore medical outcomes continues to grow. The literature review allows delineating the components and rationale for comprehensive psychosocial evaluations as a component of preoperative transplantation evaluation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, University of Maryland, Baltimore, MD, USA. messias.md@altavista.net
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Messias
authors.forename: C E
authors.initials: CE
authors.lastname: Skotzko
mesh_terms: D001938:Brazil; D006801:Humans; D007406:Interview, Psychological; D016377:Organ Transplantation / Q000523:psychology*; D018579:Patient Selection; D011300:Preoperative Care; D012917:Social Adjustment; D012919:Social Behavior