Me. Olbrisch et Jl. Levenson, PSYCHOSOCIAL ASSESSMENT OF ORGAN TRANSPLANT CANDIDATES - CURRENT STATUS OF METHODOLOGICAL AND PHILOSOPHICAL ISSUES, Psychosomatics, 36(3), 1995, pp. 236-243
Psychosocial assessments of candidates for organ transplant surgery ar
e conducted to ascertain that potential patients are likely to benefit
from the surgery through adequate coping, good compliance, and commit
ment to rehabilitation. Such assessments must be based on a realistic
analysis of the behavioral demands of the transplant patient's role. R
eliability of psychosocial assessments has been established within som
e programs, but wide discrepancies in the psychosocial criteria that a
re used exist among transplant centers. Validation studies are needed,
with particular emphasis on outcomes for the patient and family as a
whole, that go beyond the question of mere survival.