Evaluation of depression, anxiety, and stress among unrelated kidney donors

Abstract

Background: Kidney transplantation is the most absolute approach for treatment of end-stage renal disease. Transplantation from a living donor has better outcomes and less rate of acute rejection in comparison to brain-death donors. Iran is the only country in which kidney vending is legal. In this study, we have aimed to assess depression, anxiety, and stress in kidney vendors and compare with control group. Methods: This case-control study was conducted in centers affiliated to Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran, during 2016-2017. 85 living donors were included as cases, and 84 age- and education-matched persons as controls. The questionnaire of Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale (DASS) was filled by both groups and demographics were recorded. Data were analyzed through using Student t and chi-square tests via SPSS software. Findings: Kidney donors and controls were not different in terms of age (P = 0.133), marital status (P = 0.105), number of kids (P = 0.091), and level of education (P = 0.264), but members of two groups were different in terms of income and occupation (P < 0.001 for both). In addition, members of two groups were not different in terms of depression (P = 0.182) and stress (P = 0.276), but kidney donors had higher score of anxiety (P = 0.010). Conclusion: Income level and type of occupation were effective factors on decision making of kidney vending in kidney vendors. Anxiety level was significantly higher in kidney vendors in comparison to control group in this study. It is recommended to find sources etiology in further studies. © 2018, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences(IUMS). All rights reserved.