What’s Mine is Yours

Abstract

This study is a long-term follow-up on the health and quality of life of Good Samaritan living organ donors who donated an average of 10 years ago. Thirteen donors (kidney, liver, and lung) completed 2 surveys. Data from the RAND 36-Item Health Survey showed that for all domains, as well as the physical and mental component summary scales, the Good Samaritan donor outcomes were superior to the general population (P < .0001). Data from the European Living Donor Satisfaction Survey (EULID) showed that in all 8 theme areas, the donors reported statistically significant positive reactions as compared to negative reactions. With regard to self-reported health status, there was a strong, positive correlation between the RAND 36-Item Health Survey and the EULID (n = 13, Pearson correlation coefficient: 0.874). All but 1 donor reported good, very good, or excellent health status. Although donors overwhelmingly reported positivity about the donation experience, narrative comments about adverse events and recipient death must keep transplant teams alert to these critical areas. Good Samaritan organ donors come to the hospital healthy, give a gift to a stranger, and sometimes leave and linger disabled. Donor teams should be observing, questioning, and responding in an effort to maximize their welfare. This research is unique because investigation of the long-term health and psychosocial outcomes of Good Samaritan organ donors is rare. Existing studies that report long-term outcomes of kidney donors do not separately analyze Good Samaritan donor data from related living donors.

Positive and negative aspects of mental health after unspecified living kidney donation: A cohort study

“…Finally, while quantitative studies are useful in comparing levels of complaints and well-being to established benchmarks, these figures add little in the way of knowledge on the experience of the anonymous donation process by donors. For this, qualitative research is needed, either in the form of focus groups or interviews (Balliet et al, 2019;Bramstedt, 2018;Maghen et al, 2018). Pertinent questions include the impact of anonymity on mental health after donation as well as the extent to which any psychological problems may be attributed to the donation process and vice versa.…”

“…A large crosssectional study comparing UKDs with specified kidney donors showed no significant difference between groups in current or past psychiatric symptoms and well-being (Maple et al, 2014). Conversely, a retrospective study among thirteen UKDs, 10 years after donation, showed that health-related quality of life among donors was significantly superior to that of the general population (Bramstedt, 2018). Given the paucity in research in this target group, greater understanding of the (long-term) impact of anonymous donation on mental health is needed.…”

Anonymous Living Liver Donation: Literature Review and Case Series Report

“…3,17 However, detrimental impact to donors and recipients, when faced with negative outcomes, has also been reported. 3,18 At the University of Toronto, to maintain equivalence with Canada's legal requirements for anonymity with deceased donations and given reported concerns from donors, anonymity on both parties was maintained during the entire donation process. The donors were informed about the immediate posttransplant condition of the recipient.…”

“… 3 , 17 However, detrimental impact to donors and recipients, when faced with negative outcomes, has also been reported. 3 , 18 …”