Miriam Vélez-Bermúdez, Heidi Rishel Brakey, Larissa Myaskovsky, Mark Unruh, Pooja P. Singh, Nancy Pandhi
{"title":"Experiences of Unanticipated Outcomes Among Ethnically Diverse Living Kidney Donors: A Qualitative Pilot Study","authors":"Miriam Vélez-Bermúdez, Heidi Rishel Brakey, Larissa Myaskovsky, Mark Unruh, Pooja P. Singh, Nancy Pandhi","doi":"10.1111/ctr.15476","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<div>\n \n \n <section>\n \n <h3> Introduction</h3>\n \n <p>Although living kidney donation is generally considered a safe procedure, it is ethically critical that prospective donors are fully informed before consent. However, prospective donors lack a deep understanding of the donation experience, making the postdonation aftermath feel unanticipated. We sought to gain in-depth qualitative descriptions of the short- and long-term risks and benefits associated with kidney donation among an ethnically diverse group of donors to offer a balanced view of the positive and negative experiences that may occur postdonation.</p>\n </section>\n \n <section>\n \n <h3> Methods</h3>\n \n <p>We conducted individual narrative in-depth interviews (September 2020–March 2021) using the DIPEx (database of individual patient experiences) method with former living kidney donors primarily via Zoom.</p>\n </section>\n \n <section>\n \n <h3> Results</h3>\n \n <p>Fourteen donors (10 women; 8 White, 5 Hispanic, and 1 Native American) completed interviews. Interactions with healthcare providers leading up to donation were largely positive; however, lack of clarity regarding postdonation laboratory values among primary care providers led three participants to be erroneously told they developed kidney disease. Most experienced unanticipated outcomes, including postsurgical complications (e.g., hernia), long-term fatigue (i.e., ≥12 weeks), emotional distress (e.g., depression), hypertension, and gout. Difficulty obtaining life insurance following donation was an unexpected challenge. Despite these issues, participants were unanimously enthusiastic about living kidney donation and reported no regrets.</p>\n </section>\n \n <section>\n \n <h3> Conclusions</h3>\n \n <p>Enthusiasm for living kidney donation remained high among all participants despite most experiencing negative outcomes. These findings suggest that greater transparency regarding postdonation experiences may not preclude the decision to move forward with living kidney donation. These narratives will be utilized for an online module of lived experiences of donation.</p>\n </section>\n </div>","PeriodicalId":10467,"journal":{"name":"Clinical Transplantation","volume":"38 10","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.9000,"publicationDate":"2024-10-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Clinical Transplantation","FirstCategoryId":"3","ListUrlMain":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/ctr.15476","RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q2","JCRName":"SURGERY","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
Introduction
Although living kidney donation is generally considered a safe procedure, it is ethically critical that prospective donors are fully informed before consent. However, prospective donors lack a deep understanding of the donation experience, making the postdonation aftermath feel unanticipated. We sought to gain in-depth qualitative descriptions of the short- and long-term risks and benefits associated with kidney donation among an ethnically diverse group of donors to offer a balanced view of the positive and negative experiences that may occur postdonation.
Methods
We conducted individual narrative in-depth interviews (September 2020–March 2021) using the DIPEx (database of individual patient experiences) method with former living kidney donors primarily via Zoom.
Results
Fourteen donors (10 women; 8 White, 5 Hispanic, and 1 Native American) completed interviews. Interactions with healthcare providers leading up to donation were largely positive; however, lack of clarity regarding postdonation laboratory values among primary care providers led three participants to be erroneously told they developed kidney disease. Most experienced unanticipated outcomes, including postsurgical complications (e.g., hernia), long-term fatigue (i.e., ≥12 weeks), emotional distress (e.g., depression), hypertension, and gout. Difficulty obtaining life insurance following donation was an unexpected challenge. Despite these issues, participants were unanimously enthusiastic about living kidney donation and reported no regrets.
Conclusions
Enthusiasm for living kidney donation remained high among all participants despite most experiencing negative outcomes. These findings suggest that greater transparency regarding postdonation experiences may not preclude the decision to move forward with living kidney donation. These narratives will be utilized for an online module of lived experiences of donation.
期刊介绍:
Clinical Transplantation: The Journal of Clinical and Translational Research aims to serve as a channel of rapid communication for all those involved in the care of patients who require, or have had, organ or tissue transplants, including: kidney, intestine, liver, pancreas, islets, heart, heart valves, lung, bone marrow, cornea, skin, bone, and cartilage, viable or stored.
Published monthly, Clinical Transplantation’s scope is focused on the complete spectrum of present transplant therapies, as well as also those that are experimental or may become possible in future. Topics include:
Immunology and immunosuppression;
Patient preparation;
Social, ethical, and psychological issues;
Complications, short- and long-term results;
Artificial organs;
Donation and preservation of organ and tissue;
Translational studies;
Advances in tissue typing;
Updates on transplant pathology;.
Clinical and translational studies are particularly welcome, as well as focused reviews. Full-length papers and short communications are invited. Clinical reviews are encouraged, as well as seminal papers in basic science which might lead to immediate clinical application. Prominence is regularly given to the results of cooperative surveys conducted by the organ and tissue transplant registries.
Clinical Transplantation: The Journal of Clinical and Translational Research is essential reading for clinicians and researchers in the diverse field of transplantation: surgeons; clinical immunologists; cryobiologists; hematologists; gastroenterologists; hepatologists; pulmonologists; nephrologists; cardiologists; and endocrinologists. It will also be of interest to sociologists, psychologists, research workers, and to all health professionals whose combined efforts will improve the prognosis of transplant recipients.