Avoiding the issue: patients' (non)communication with potential living kidney donors

Kidney transplantation with a living donor has proved to be an effective solution for kidney patients on the waiting list for transplantation. Nevertheless, it may be difficult to find a living kidney donor. The purpose of this explorative study is to investigate how kidney transplant candidates may, or may not, find a living donor in the Netherlands.

We compared a group of 42 patients who did not find a living donor with a group of 42 patients who did, using semi-structured interviews.

We found that, although almost all patients recognized the advantages of living kidney donation and were willing to accept the offer of a living kidney donor, many found it very difficult to ask a potential donor directly. This was true for both groups.

Patients may gain from professional support to deal with this situation in ways that balance their medical needs and their personal relationships.

Support programs should be developed to assist patients in developing strategies for discussing living kidney donation with potential donors.