Psychosocial and Sleep Outcomes in Living Kidney Donors: Preliminary Results From a Monocentric North African Study.

OBJECTIVES

Living kidney donation provides substantial therapeutic benefit to recipients but may have lasting psychosocial consequences for donors. Sleep quality, which is closely linked to psychological well -being, remains insufficiently studied in North African populations. This study aimed to evaluate quality of life, self -esteem, body image, and sleep quality among living kidney donors in Tunisia.

MATERIALS AND

METHODS

We conducted a cross -sectional, monocentric descriptive study at the Nephrology Department of Sahloul University Teaching Hospital, Sousse, Tunisia, for the period 2007 -2024. Data were collected from medical records and standardized interviews. Quality of life was assessed via the 12 -Item Short Form Health Survey, self -esteem via the Rosenberg Self -Esteem Scale, body image via the Body Image Scale, and sleep quality via the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index. The study remains ongoing.

RESULTS

Preliminary data from 15 living kidney donors were analyzed. The mean age was 55 years, and the female -to -male ratio was 2. The mean time since donation was 7.9 years. The mean physical and mental component scores of the 12 -Item Short Form Health Survey were 48.5 and 33.7, respectively, with approximately 30 %of donors demonstrating clinically relevant psychological distress. Self -esteem was low in 25 %, moderate in 50 %, and high in 25 % of participants. Body image impairment was moderate to severe in 70 % of donors. The mean Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index score was 4.6; however, 27 %of participants had scores >5, indicating poor sleep quality. High follow -up dropout was observed, largely due to limited access to structured health care resources.

CONCLUSIONS

Living kidney donation may be associated with persistent psychosocial vulnerability and sleep disturbances in a subset of donors. These findings highlight the importance of structured long -term psychosocial and sleep monitoring programs in resource -constrained settings.