title: Living kidney donors' long-term psychological status and health behavior after nephrectomy - a retrospective study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The aim of the study was a comprehensive psychological evaluation of living kidney donors. Existing studies indicate a high donor satisfaction with the decision to donate and good donor quality of life in short-term, as well as in long-term follow-up periods. In many studies, questionnaires with only a few items have been used to assess psychological health or well-being; however, most studies exclusively measured quality of life. Therefore, our retrospective single center study applied a broad assessment of psychological variables. We evaluated whether standardized, differentiated and specific psychological research instruments confirmed the positive, long-term condition of kidney donors as reported in the scientific literature, albeit based on a limited set of variables.
  
  
  METHODS
  From 1973 to 2001, 152 nephrectomies were performed in Frankfurt. In the context of a detailed medical follow-up examination, a psychological study was implemented using a semi-structured interview and a set of four standardized, well-established questionnaires. Overall, data from 145 donors was included in the medical follow-up and 112 donors participated in the psychological investigation.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean age of donors was 55.9 (+/- 10.7) yrs at follow-up, and the time-since-donation was 11.2 (+/- 7.5) yrs. Donors scored better on a wide range of the psychological scales such as psychological symptoms, health behavior and health consciousness that was to be expected in comparison with data from representative German population samples. Nearly all donors (97%) would choose to donate again, and 91% remain entirely satisfied with their decision.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The study demonstrates that existing results, reporting positive long-term psychological donor well-being, could be confirmed by a set of comprehensive, standardized and multi-methodological psychological instruments.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychosomatic Medicine, Hospital of the J.W. Goethe-University Frankfurt, Frankfurt, Germany. j.jordan@em.uni-frankfurt.de
authors.forename: Jochen
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Jordan
authors.forename: Uli
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Sann
authors.forename: Anja
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Janton
authors.forename: Jan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Gossmann
authors.forename: Wolfgang
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Kramer
authors.forename: Heinz Georg
authors.initials: HG
authors.lastname: Kachel
authors.forename: Albina
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Wilhelm
authors.forename: Ernst
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Scheuermann
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005858:Germany; D015438:Health Behavior; D006801:Humans; D016030:Kidney Transplantation / Q000523:psychology*; D019520:Living Donors / Q000523:psychology*; D008297:Male; D008603:Mental Health; D008875:Middle Aged; D009392:Nephrectomy / Q000523:psychology*; D011581:Psychological Tests; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D020377:Self Efficacy; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires