Social participation after successful kidney transplantation.
OBJECTIVE
To explore and describe the degree of social participation after kidney transplantation and to examine associated factors.


METHODS
A cross-sectional study on 239 adult patients 1-7.3 years after kidney transplantation was performed via in-home interviews on participation in obligatory activities (i.e., employment, education, household tasks) and leisure activities (volunteer work, assisting others, recreation, sports, clubs/associations, socializing, going out).


RESULTS
Kidney transplantation patients had a lower educational level, spent less time on obligatory activities, had part-time jobs more often, and participated less in sports compared to a control group from the general population. No difference was found in socializing, church attendance, volunteer work and going out. Multivariate regression analysis showed a negative association of age and a positive association of educational status and time since transplantation with obligatory participation. Multivariate logistic regression showed positive associations of education and time since transplantation with volunteer work; age was negatively and education positively associated with sports and going out, whereas living arrangement was also associated with going out.


CONCLUSIONS
Although kidney transplantation patients participate less in employment and sports, they do participate in household tasks, volunteer work, going out, socializing and other leisure activities. Participation is associated with factors as age, educational status and time since transplantation.
van der Mei
Sijrike F
SF
Department of Health Sciences, Northern Centre for Healthcare Research (NCH), University Medical Centre Groningen (UMCG), University of Groningen, The Netherlands. s.f.van.der.mei@med.umcg.nl
van Sonderen
Eric L P
EL
van Son
Willem J
WJ
de Jong
Paul E
PE
Groothoff
Johan W
JW
van den Heuvel
Wim J A
WJ
D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004522:Educational Status; D004651:Employment; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D016030:Kidney Transplantation; D007899:Leisure Activities; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D009426:Netherlands; D012111:Residence Characteristics; D014838:Volunteers