title: Reasons for Renal Donation among Living Unrelated Renal Donors in Khuzestan Province, Southwestern Iran.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The shortage of living-related and cadaveric donors lead to living-unrelated kidney transplant in Iran.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  We conducted this study to determine the motivations for unrelated-living kidney donation in Khuzestan province, southwestern Iran.
  
  
  METHODS
  After obtaining an informed written consent, unrelated-living kidney donors were interviewed by the authors by means of a standardized questionnaire to assess their socioeconomic status and motivations for donation.
  
  
  RESULTS
  210 living kidney donors consisting of 167 men (79.5%) and 43 women (20.5%) with a mean±SD age of 28.4±5.6 years were studied. 117 (55.7%) donors were married. 6 (2.9%) of donors were university graduates; 39 (18.6%) high school graduates; 141 (67.1%) less than high school graduates; and 20 (9.5%) were illiterate. The motives for donation was mentioned mostly financial by 127 (60.5%) donors, mostly based on religious beliefs and altruism by 39 (18.6%), and a combination of financial, religious beliefs and altruism by 35 (16.7%) donors.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Financial problems are the main motivation for living-unrelated kidney donation in Khuzestan province, southwestern Iran.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran.
authors.forename: S S
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Beladi Mousavi
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Alemzadeh Ansari
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Parsi
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Kiani