title: Social aspects of kidney donation in Tunisia: a study of 189 living related donors.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Our aim was to study the demographic and social characteristics of 189 living related kidney donors in Tunisia, and explore some of the social consequences of kidney donation.
  
  
  METHODS
  This is a descriptive retrospective study of 189 living related kidney donors who had their nephrectomy in Charles Nicolle Hospital between 1986 and 2009. The demographic and social characteristics at the time of donation were studied and changes in the social and occupational status after donation were assessed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The average age at the time of donation was 41.8 ± 12.1 years (range: 20-67 years). Female predominance (59.2% of cases) was noted. Donors were siblings in 46% of cases, parents in 42% of cases and spouses in only 9% of cases. There were more mothers than fathers, more wives than husbands, but fewer sisters than brothers. Twenty-six percent of donors were illiterate and 40% were unemployed at the time of donation. After donation, the social status remained stable for 70% of donors. No divorces were reported. The occupational status was unchanged in 94% of cases. Sixteen percent of female donors had at least one pregnancy after nephrectomy. Nearly 90% of surveyed donors whose recipients were alive at the time of the survey were still in favor of kidney donation.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Women play an important role in living related kidney donation in Tunisia. Family situation and occupational status did not seem to be compromised after nephrectomy, and most donors were willing to donate if the decision was to be repeated.
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Charles Nicolle Hospital of Tunis, Tunisia.
authors.forename: Walid
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Kerkeni
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Charles Nicolle Hospital of Tunis, Tunisia.
authors.forename: Abderrazak
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bouzouita
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Charles Nicolle Hospital of Tunis, Tunisia.
authors.forename: Mohamed Riadh
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Ben Slama
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Charles Nicolle Hospital of Tunis, Tunisia.
authors.forename: Amine
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Derouich
authors.affiliation: Department of Nephrology, Charles Nicolle Hospital of Tunis, Tunisia.
authors.forename: Ezzedine
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Abderrahim
authors.affiliation: Department of Nephrology, Charles Nicolle Hospital of Tunis, Tunisia.
authors.forename: Taieb
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ben Abdallah
authors.affiliation: Department of Nephrology, Charles Nicolle Hospital of Tunis, Tunisia.
authors.forename: Adel
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Khedher
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Charles Nicolle Hospital of Tunis, Tunisia.
authors.forename: Mohamed
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Chebil
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016030:Kidney Transplantation / Q000379:methods*; D019520:Living Donors; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011247:Pregnancy; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D020858:Tissue and Organ Harvesting; D014416:Tunisia; D055815:Young Adult