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Living Donor Advocacy pp 149–167Cite as

Unrelated Donors

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Abstract

This chapter focuses on the psychosocial evaluation, informed consent process, and follow-up post donation of unrelated organ donors, defined as individuals who are neither biologically related nor closely emotionally related to the transplant recipient. The impetus for considering unrelated donors is the growth in number and types of unrelated donors in the US in the past 20 years. In addition, there has been an expansion in the range of opportunities for unrelated donors to donate, including participation in kidney exchange programs. We consider the characteristics of unrelated donors that heighten the concerns of donor programs about donor psychosocial risks, and elements of the psychosocial screening and evaluation that require close scrutiny, including, for example, donors’ motives for donation, and their understanding and expectations about the donation process. We highlight elements that can complicate the informed consent process, including unique risks of coercion in unrelated donors, differences in the benefit-to-risk ratio for donation by unrelated vs. related donors, and special issues regarding confidentiality. We review evidence on post-donation outcomes in unrelated donors and issues that warrant consideration in follow-up with these individuals.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine and Medical Center, University of Pittsburgh, 3811 O’Hara Street, Pittsburgh, PA, USA

    Mary Amanda Dew PhD & Andrea F. DiMartini MD

  2. Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, 3811 O’Hara Street, Pittsburgh, PA, USA

    Ginger Boneysteele RN, BSN, MSN

Authors
  1. Mary Amanda Dew PhD
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  2. Ginger Boneysteele RN, BSN, MSN
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  3. Andrea F. DiMartini MD
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Mary Amanda Dew PhD .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. University of Pittsburgh STARZL TRANSPLAN INST, PITTSBURGH, Pennsylvania, USA

    JENNIFER STEEL

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Dew, M., Boneysteele, G., DiMartini, A. (2014). Unrelated Donors. In: STEEL, J. (eds) Living Donor Advocacy. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-9143-9_11

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-9143-9_11

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, New York, NY

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-4614-9142-2

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-4614-9143-9

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