Social Media Use Among Living Kidney Donors and Recipients

Abby Swanson Kazley PhD
Bashir Hamidi MPH
Wendy Balliet PhD
Prabhakar Baliga MD

In the United States, there is a national shortage of organs donated for transplant. Among the solid organs, most often kidneys are donated by living donors, but the lack of information and complicated processes limit the number of individuals who serve as living kidney donors. Social media can be a tool for advocacy, educating the public about the need, process, and outcomes of live kidney donors, yet little is known about social media use by kidney transplant patients.

The purpose of this study was to examine the social media use of potential kidney transplant patients and their willingness to use social media and their networks to advocate and educate about living kidney donation.