Waitlisted Transplant Candidates’ Attitudes and Concerns Toward Transplantation During COVID-19

• DOI: 10.12659/aot.926992
• Publication Date: 2021-02-22T16:47:51Z
• Authors: Ek Khoon Tan; Ye Xin Koh; Terence Kee; Juhainah Binte Ju...; Teing Ee Tan; David Kheng Leng Sim; Aloysius Yew Leng Ho; Lalitha Krishnan; Ping Sing Tee; Thinesh Lee Krish...; Brian Kim Poh Goh; Ban Hock Tan; Shimin Jasmine Chung; Ghee Chee Phua; Prema Raj Jeyaraj
• Keywords: Pandemic; Health Literacy

BACKGROUND:In solid organ transplant (SOT) and hematopoietic stem cell (HSCT) recipients, coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) can contribute to a severe clinical course an increased risk of death. Thus, patients awaiting SOT or HSCT face the dilemma choosing between life-saving treatment that presents significant threat COVID-19 waitlist dropout, progression disease, mortality. The lack established literature on complicates issue as patients, particularly those with inadequate health literacy, may not have resources needed navigate these decisions. MATERIAL AND METHODS:We conducted standardized phone survey assess prevalence literacy attitudes toward during pandemic. RESULTS:Seventy-one completed survey, response rate 84.5%. Regardless most waitlisted candidates recognized current pandemic is serious situation affecting their care poses health. Despite risks, reported they would choose immediate transplantation if there was no foreseeable end pandemic, especially medical urgency did permit further delay. There were differences in responses across patient groups for heart, kidney, liver, transplant. CONCLUSIONS:These findings help centers decide how services should proceed this be used educate guide discussions about informed consent