ATTITUDES AND PERCEPTIONS OF LIVING KIDNEY DONOR EVALUATION

Abstract

Introduction: Attitudes and perceptions of living kidney donors are im-portant aspects to the organ donation process. Few patient-centered studies exist which focus on broad health outcomes and expectations of living kid-ney donors. This is of practical concern due to the trend of decreasing donor numbers observed in the last decade (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Health Resources and Services Administration, 2011). While fol-low-up care is a crucial part of the donation process, few studies address the importance of follow-up care and its implications on the health status of the donor following his/her donation. This study aims to evaluate attitudes and perceptions of living kidney donors regarding their total donation experience. Data collected will shape policy recommendations pertaining to the standard of follow-up care for living kidney donors. Methods: The present study uses an electronic survey tool to evaluate living kidney donors’ satisfaction with their post-donation follow-up care. All living kidney donors are eligible. Recruitment is via social networking sites with active donor members; successfully recruited participants receive an e-mail with the study information sheet and a link to the brief survey. Results: Completed survey responses are coded and analyzed using sta-tistical coding software. Data produced will illustrate any patient reported negative health outcomes across multiple transplant centers, attitudes about donor follow-up care, and policy recommendations.