Evaluation of Psychosocial Outcomes of Living Liver Donors in Liver Transplantation.

BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the risk factors affecting psychosocial outcomes of living liver donors after liver transplantations. METHODS: This was a descriptive, cross-sectional study. The sample consisted of living liver donors followed by 2 liver transplantation centers in 2 private hospitals in 2 different provinces, between August 2017 and October 2019. All the living liver donors were contacted without a time frame after donation and all the participants were evaluated once. The Beck Depression Scale, SF-36, General Self- Efficacy Scale, and Perceived Available Support Scale were used to collect data. The t-test, Kruskal-Wallis test, Mann-Whitney U-test, and Pearson correlation analysis were used for data analysis. RESULTS: The mean age of the patients was 34.31 ± 8.22 years. There was a positive, weak correlation between age and physical func- tion. Gender, marital status, financial status, and education levels significantly affected physical components, social function, vitality, depression, and self-efficacy scores. High depression levels negatively affected the physical component, self-efficacy, and social sup- port scores of the living liver donors. High self-efficacy positively affected social support. CONCLUSION: The study revealed that gender, marital status, employment status, and education levels were associated with psychosocial outcomes. The financial status was the main factor affecting each psychosocial variable. Financial status needs to be assessed in detail before and after the operation.

Exploration Into Donor-Recipient Relationship After Living-Donor Liver Transplantation Using Gift-Exchange Theory.

AIM: This qualitative study aimed to explore the donor-recipient relationships following living-donor liver transplantation. METHOD: A 1-time cross-sectional qualitative interview was conducted with liver transplant recipients (n = 17) and living liver donors (n = 11) post-transplant. The interviews were transcribed verbatim and analyzed manually by using thematic content analysis. RESULTS: The mean age of the recipients and the donors was 54.41 ± 8.0 (range 39-71) and 36.6 ± 7.69 (range 28-57) years, respectively. Following the interviews, 2 overarching themes emerged: (1) Became care providers, and (2) differentiation in relationships after transplantation. A total of 3 sub-themes were explained under "differentiation in relationships after transplantation;" feeling guilty, becoming closer and more intense owing to a feeling of indebtedness, and putting some distance owing to a feeling of indebtedness. CONCLUSION: The study focused on the reciprocation stage according to gift-exchange theory. During reciprocation, although recipients expressed positive feelings such as gratitude, closer relationships, and special bonds; they also reported negative feelings like guilt and indebtedness resulting in a purposeful distancing from their donors. Most donors understood what the recipients felt, but they wanted their relationship to return to normal. Married female donors had worse experiences, such as divorce or a weakened marital relationship after donation.