Brain health awareness among solid organ transplant candidates and recipients: a single centre survey

Solid organ transplant candidates and recipients are a highly vulnerable population for brain disorders variably alongside their transplant history. This population would greatly benefit from brain health programs. In order to set up brain health multidimensional plans targeting patients affected with peripheral organ disease, including solid organ transplant candidates and recipients, we explored their view on brain health.

This study employed a cross-sectional survey study with descriptive quantitative analyses to review the answers received through a pencil and paper survey conducted in a single surgical center.

A little over half of our respondents, above all women, reported always or often thinking about their brain health. Just over half of our patients exercise regularly and perform cognitively stimulating activities, with this figure being even lower for older patients and men. There is low public awareness and health literacy on neurology and brain diseases. We have found full recognition that peripheral organ functioning, above all heart, may have an impact on brain health. Lack of time, lack of information on what to do, and lack of motivation emerged as main barriers to enforcing lifestyle changes. Most of our respondents were willing to undergo a cognitive screening test and receive educational information on brain health.

Our survey provided insights on brain health topic previously unexplored among patients affected by non-neurological disorders. The gathered results will be used to implement multidomain interventional brain health plans for transplant candidates and recipients.