Narratives: an essential tool for evaluating living kidney donations

Area of Science:

• Medical Anthropology
• Transplantation Surgery
• Psychology

Background:

• Norway exhibits one of the world's highest living kidney donation rates.
• Existing research suggests donors maintain good health due to strict criteria and follow-up.
• Recent international studies question the overall positive view of donors and recipients, especially concerning psychological aspects.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore the psychological narratives of living kidney donors and recipients.
• To assess if current psychological evaluations in Norway are sufficient.
• To determine the need for enhanced psychological care in living kidney donation partnerships.

Main Methods:

• Anthropological fieldwork conducted over 36 months at three Oslo-area university hospitals.
• Semi-structured interviews with 18 end-stage kidney disease patients and their potential donors.
• Analysis of pre- and post-transplantation narratives using narrative theory.

Main Results:

• Donor and recipient narratives offer insights into the transplantation experience.
• Analysis revealed potential psychological challenges not fully addressed by current practices.
• The study highlights the value of narrative analysis in understanding donor and recipient perspectives.

Conclusions:

• Donor and recipient narratives are valuable tools for informed living kidney donation decisions.
• There is an indicated need for comprehensive psychological support for living kidney donation partners, both pre- and post-transplantation.
• Current psychological assessment practices in Norway may require enhancement to address the full spectrum of donor and recipient experiences.