The experience of donating and receiving a kidney: A systematic review of qualitative studies

• Published in: Journal of renal care Vol. 46; no. 3; pp. 169 - 184
• Main Authors: Rota‐Musoll, Laura, Subirana‐Casacuberta, Mireia, Oriol‐Vila, Ester, Homs‐Del Valle, Mercè, Molina‐Robles, Esmeralda, Brigidi, Serena
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Wiley Subscription Services, Inc 01-09-2020
• Edition: English ed.
• Subjects: Blood & organ donations; Donante renal vivo; Experiencia de vida; Health psychology; Humans; Kidney - abnormalities; Kidney recipient; Kidney transplants; Life Change Events; Lived experience; Living donor; Organ Transplantation - adverse effects; Organ Transplantation - psychology; Patient-centered care; Patients - psychology; Qualitative Research; Receptor renal; Revisión sistemática; Systematic review; Tissue Donors - psychology; Transplantation; Trasplante; Donante renal vivo; Experiencia de vida; Receptor renal; Trasplante; Living donor; Lived experience; Systematic review; Transplantation; Revisión sistemática; Kidney recipient
• ISSN: 1755-6678; 1755-6686
• DOI: 10.1111/jorc.12309

SUMMARY
Background
The experiences described by people who have undergone kidney transplant are complex. Understanding how donors and recipients experience kidney transplantation can help us to design strategies that provide a more person‐centred health care.
Objectives
To review articles that report the experiences of donors and recipients in the living‐donor kidney transplantation process.
Method
A systematic review of qualitative studies was carried out. PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, CINAHL and PsycINFO databases were used to search for articles published in English, French and Spanish between 2005 and 2018.
Results
Twenty‐nine articles were included in this review. For recipients, receiving a kidney is a positive experience (positive feelings and significant experience) that also involves certain difficulties and stressors (making a difficult decision, fears and worries). The experience of the donors is positive as they are motivated to improve the life of the recipient. They are committed to donating and use coping strategies as well as experiencing personal growth. On the contrary, being a donor involves certain difficulties and stressors (personal investment, mental, physical and economic impact and overcoming opposition) and a perception of deficiency in the health system (lack of information and attentiveness).
Conclusion
Donating and receiving a kidney is a positive experience that involves certain difficulties and a variety of stressors for both the donors and recipients. Moreover, the donors note deficiencies in the health system.
RESUMEN
Antecedentes
Las experiencias que explican las personas sometidas a un trasplante renal son complejas. Entender como experimentan el trasplante renal los donantes y los receptores nos puede ayudar a diseñar estrategias para proporcionar una atención sanitaria más centrada en la persona.
Objetivos
Revisar artículos que hablen sobre las experiencias de los donantes y los receptores en el proceso de trasplante renal de donante vivo.
Método
Se realizó una revisión sistemática de estudios cualitativos. Se utilizaron las bases de datos Pubmed, Scopus, Web of Science, Cinahl y Psycinfo para buscar artículos desde el año 2005 hasta 2018 publicados en inglés, francés o español.
Resultados
Se incluyeron 29 artículos en esta revisión. Para los donantes la experiencia de donar es positiva ya que están motivados para mejorar la vida del receptor, donan de forma convencida, utilizan estrategias de afrontamiento y experimentan crecimiento personal. Por otro lado, donar supone dificultades y estresores (inversión personal, impacto económico, físico, mental y superar la oposición) y percepción de carencia en el sistema sanitario (falta de información y desatención). Para los receptores el recibir un riñón es una experiencia positiva (sentimientos positivos y experiencia significativa) ligada también a dificultades y estresores (toma de decisión difícil, temores y preocupaciones).
Conclusiones
Dar y recibir un riñón es una experiencia positiva que comporta dificultades y factores estresantes diferentes para los donantes y para los receptores. Además, los donantes constatan una carencia en el sistema sanitario.
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