Social support and transplantation

Abstract

Purpose of reviewSocial support has many benefits for patients undergoing organ transplantation, though inclusion of it as criteria for transplant listing has been debated. This review highlights recent developments in the research regarding social support and organ transplantation, including the impact of social support on transplantation and caregivers, interventions, COVID-19, and ethical perspectives.Recent findingsSocial support and perceived social support have benefits for transplant patients, including increased quality of life and adherence. The providers of social support may also be impacted and the impact may vary based on patient and caregiver characteristics, including organ group and caregiver ethnicity. Debates regarding COVID-19 vaccine requirements for caregivers and ethical concerns about the inclusion of social support as criteria for transplant listing are also explored.SummaryTransplant patients benefit from social support, though additional research is needed on the impact of social support on transplant outcomes and the utility of the use of social support as criteria for transplant listing. There is also a need for more robust research on diverse caregiver populations, including the identification and use of supportive interventions for caregivers.

The Mediating Role of Self-Perceived Burden Between Social Support and Fear of Progression in Renal Transplant Recipients: A Multicenter Cross-Sectional Study

“…39 Good social support can also improve treatment compliance. 15 Encouraging patients to increase their treatment knowledge by actively seeking relevant information can alleviate adverse emotions during treatment and reduce FoP. However, due to the different personalities and living environments of patients, the type of social support needed may differ.…”

“…14 Transplant patients benefit from social support. 15 Indeed, a study demonstrated that social support is the second largest factor in measuring whether patients can accept transplantation and greatly affects transplantation results. 16 Patients undergoing RT face many psychological issues, including anxiety and fear.…”