Abstract
Purpose: To clarify the decision-making process and factors that affect live donors who have their own family and donate their liver to a sibling.
Methods: Semi-structured interviews were conducted with five subjects who were donors living with their own family and were a sibling of the recipient. The interviews were analyzed qualitatively and inductively.
Results: In the decision-making process to donate, the “relationship with the sibling” is an influencing factor, and conflict occurs between two factors: “I must save my sibling's life” and “anxiety and fear that the procedure may damage my health.” The “To find meaning of the donation as the donor” strengthens the belief that “I must save my sibling's life.” In addition, the “understanding and support of the donor's spouse and family” reinforces the factor of “anxiety and fear that the procedure may damage my health.” Ultimately, the donor “consents to donate because I choose to be a donor conditionally.”
Conclusions: The study findings suggest that the decision-making process requires careful support to be able to donate a liver to a sibling and that family and nursing support is necessary to care for the involved spouse and family.
