Psychological sequelae of kidney donation. A 5–10 year follow up study

ABSTRACT— Twenty three out of 30 potential kidney donors were followed up after a period of 5–10 years. Fourteen were donors, and the other nine subjects who were refused from kidney donation on medical grounds constituted the control group (non‐donors). Psychiatric morbidity was assessed by using the Present State Examination (PSE) Interview Schedule. CATEGO‐ID Program identified one case in the donor group and one case in the non‐donor group. The psychiatric problems of both the cases were unlikely to be related to the kidney transplantation. The majority of the donors, irrespective of the outcome of the transplant procedure, expressed positive feelings towards kidney donation. This study suggests that the kidney donation does not cause long term adverse psychological sequlae.