Search

Living kidney donors’ follow-up is usually focused on the assessment of the surgical and medical outcomes. Whilst the psychosocial follow-up is advocated in literature. It is still not entirely clear which exact psychosocial factors are related to a poor psychosocial outcome of donors. The aim of our study is to prospectively assess the donors’ psychosocial risks factors to impaired health-related quality of life at 1-year post-donation and link their psychosocial profile before donation with their respective outcomes. The influence of the recipient’s medical outcomes on their donor’s psychosocial outcome was also examined. Sixty donors completed a battery of standardized psychometric instruments (quality of life, mental health, coping strategies, personality, socio-economic status), and ad hoc items regarding the donation process (e.g., motivations for donation, decision-making, risk assessment, and donor-recipient relationship). Donors’ 1-year psychosocial follow-up was favorable and comparable with the general population. So far, cluster-analysis identified a subgroup of donors (28%) with a post-donation reduction of their health-related quality of life. This subgroup expressed comparatively to the rest, the need for more pre-donation information regarding surgery risks, and elevated fear of losing the recipient and commitment to stop their suffering.

This prospective study reports the design and results obtained after the EMPODaT project implementation. This project was funded by the Tempus programme of the European Commission with the objective to implement a common postgraduate programme on organ donation and transplantation (ODT) in six selected universities from Middle East/North Africa (MENA) countries (Egypt, Lebanon and Morocco). The consortium, coordinated by the University of Barcelona, included universities from Spain, Germany, Sweden and France. The first phase of the project was to perform an analysis of the current situation in the beneficiary countries, including existing training programmes on ODT, Internet connection, digital facilities and competences, training needs, and ODT activity and accreditation requirements. A total of 90 healthcare postgraduate students participated in the 1-year training programme (30 ECTS academic credits). The methodology was based on e-learning modules and face-to-face courses in English and French. Training activities were evaluated through pre- and post-tests, self-assessment activities and evaluation charts. Quality was assessed through questionnaires and semi-structured interviews. The project results on a reproducible and innovative international postgraduate programme, improvement of knowledge, satisfaction of the participants and confirms the need on professionalizing the activity as the cornerstone to ensure organ transplantation self-sufficiency in MENA countries.

Background In 2011, the European Directorate for the Quality of Medicines & Healthcare of the Council of Europe launched a 3-year collaborative project to address the organ shortage and improve access to transplant health services in Council of Europe member states in the Black Sea area (Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bulgaria, Georgia, Moldova, Romania, Turkey, Ukraine, and the Russian Federation) through the development of safe and ethical donation and transplantation programs. Objective Support the development of donation and transplantation programs through close interstate cooperation between national health organizations and relevant stakeholders. Methodology Several work packages (WP) were established: WP1, project coordination (European Directorate for the Quality of Medicines & Healthcare); WP2, development and implementation of an effective legislative and financial framework (Czech Republic and France); WP3, establishment of National Transplant Authorities (Italy and Portugal); and WP4, clinical practices (DTI Foundation). Data collection, surveys, and expert visits allowed for the collection of first-hand information from each participant country at national, regional, and hospital levels. Results Data analysis showed the positive impact of the project represented by a tendency to increase the total donation rates (per million people) in the participant countries (2011 vs 2013): Azerbaijan, +7.3; Armenia, −0.7; Georgia, +3.3; Bulgaria, +0.9; Moldova, +2.5; Ukraine:, +0.8; Romania, +2.3; and Turkey, +2.7. Conclusions Increases in total donation rates are the result of a number of initiatives in the Black Sea area, including the stepwise implementation of legislative, organizational and institutional country-specific recommendations tailored by the CoE, efforts of the respective Ministries of Health in each country and synergism with other European projects in the region. These countries should invest further in implementing the recommendations that emerged from this project to improve their organ donation and transplantation programs and progress toward self-sufficiency.

The SEUSA program, the Donation and Transplantation Institute foundation consultancy program, was implemented in Trinidad and Tobago (TT) in 2010 with the support of the National Organ Transplant Unit (NOTU) and the Ministry of Health of TT.The SEUSA program included (1) diagnosis of the current situation using the ODDS (Organ Donation Diagnostic Surveys); (2) creation of a human resources structure through Transplant Procurement Management (TPM); (3) detection of all brain and cardiac deaths in the hospitals implementing the DAS (Decease Alert System); (4) in-hospital awareness based on the EODS (Essentials in Organ Donation); and (5) external hospital audits. Additionally continued monitoring is performed.Thus far, thanks to implementation of the SEUSA program in Trinidad and Tobago 175, healthcare professionals have been exposed to training programs in the organ donation field. The Living Kidney Program was reinforced and the structure of the Deceased Donation (DD) network was defined. Since 2010, 485 potential organ donors have been detected, and 9 have become actual organ donors; 74 patients have received a kidney transplant (59 from living and 15 from deceased donors).This project results demonstrate that the application of the SEUSA program is an efficient methodology to develop DD programs that increase and consolidate transplant programs in the Caribbean region.

IntroductionThe consortium constituted by 4 European Univ., 1 European Foundation and 6 beneficiary Univ. from Egypt, Lebanon and Morocco (fig 1) implemented the EMPODaT project from 2010 to 2014. Its aim was to cooperate in a higher education program of Organ Donation and Transplantation in Egypt

Introduction Donation and transplantation is an accepted therapeutic option when organ failure or tissue replacements are needed to save or improve the quality of life. However, in most medical schools there is no specific training for it, thus disregarding the key role of university students for the future success of the process. Objectives Knowledge diffusion about the donation procedure to clarify doubts and stimulate positive attitudes toward donation. Training university students in the donation and transplantation process. Research about the previous donation knowledge and the impact in donation indexes. Methods Three different phases have been designed: (1) Training the University of Barcelona Health Sciences School students; (2) Training the Health Sciences School students in other faculties of Catalonia, Spain, and International; and (3) research. Results Since 2005, we have offered yearly an Optional Credits Course to medical students with duration of 45 hours, and two Donation days opened to health sciences students. Since 2007, promotional campaigns have been carried out in medicine and other health sciences faculties. Until now, 818 answered surveys have been collected to evaluate previous knowledge among university students. Conclusion Training medical and other health sciences students in the donation process will improve quality of medical education and develop a trainer role for future professionals to help improve donation rates.

IntroductionIt has become crucial to share experience between countries with well-developed and established transplantation programs and local initiatives to provide implementation models to conduct safe organ donation and transplantation (D&T) programs.During 2013, the situation in Europe included

Background Living donor (LD) transplantation has increased recently, but psychosocial aspects of living donation have not been well characterized, as risk factors for the donors. ELIPSY is a project confunded by EAHC, seeking to develop a common methodology for all EU countries for LD assessment/follow-up in the psychosocial sphere ( www.eulivingdonor.eu ). Objective To evaluate current psychosocial LD assessment/follow-up practices among European centers for key aspects and differences between kidney and liver programs. Methods Within a timeline of 30 months, this phase of the project sought to identify current LD psychosocial assessment/follow-up practices. The final survey concerned two versions focused on the kidney and on liver transplant program. The survey took place in ELIPSY partner centers under their own responsibility. Each of the centers sent the survey to other ones performing LD in their country. Partners in the EULID project includes ones in the United Kingdom, Poland, and Romania. The results were analyzed separately for each program seeking to compare and define differences among them. Results The survey took place in 10 European countries including 65 centers with LD programs. Positive answers regarding psychosocial assessment/follow-up practices were obtained for 26 (42%) kidney and nine (38%) liver centers. Some centers perform several psychosocial follow-ups but did not explain their tools, whereas the centers that did explain the tools used the same ones for both programs.

Donation from alive people has been growing strongly in the recent years, thanks to the advance in the field of organ transplantation and its success as a treatment to procure quality-adjusted life years for many patients with end–stage diseases. The choice of transplantation from a living donor (LD) offers some advantages compared to that for a deceased donor. However, it also carries disadvantages related to donor risks in terms of health and safety, and there are several controversial ethical aspects to be taken into account. There is no specific pronouncement of the European Union in relation to standards to quality and safety for the living donor process, and there is a great heterogeneity among European Countries legislation, ethical concern, and protection systems and donor´s data registries on the topic. The EULID project aims to establish European common standard framework regarding living donor issues to guarantee their health and safety thorough common practices and regulation.

Transplantation is an accepted therapeutic option to save or improve the quality of life when organ failure occurs or tissue replacements are needed. However, the lack of organs is the major limitation. The deceased organ procurement organization and professionals provide the solution to this international problem. In this review, we identify the elements involved in the organ procurement management process to analyze the possibility of implementation of deceased organ procurement for a transplantation program. While the donation rates are subject to several negative factors including religious, economic, cultural, and legal issues, the existence of well-trained professionals may considerably increase them. Professional training in organ donation along with the establishment of a solid organizational system has been identified as the crucial factor in developing efficient organ donation and transplantation programs.