Barriers to employment following renal transplantation: implications for the social work professional

The biopsychosocial model was used to analyze data from an open-ended item in a survey of individuals following kidney transplantation. After sending surveys to kidney transplant recipients at a large, Midwestern teaching hospital, this work analyzed the themes that emerged from an inquiry into factors that affected their ability to return to work or switch jobs. The results revealed that concerns reflecting biological/ psychological factors were most frequently indicated followed by social concerns. That is, the majority of the responses were related to a physical disorder or condition (biological) that appeared to have been directly related to a psychological response to it. This was followed by social concerns primarily related to health insurance. Thus, the researchers involved in this study conclude that social workers in health care must: (1) consistently embrace the assumptions of the biopsychosocial model so that the most inclusive assessments and interventions can be rendered, while (2) remaining knowledgeable regarding legislative changes that impact health insurance coverage for this specific population.