Social Service and Pediatric Hepatic Transplant: The Social Cultural Profile of the Evaluated Families and the Intervention of the Social Assistant on the Transplant Social Contraindications

Abstract

Introduction Working the social aspects that could compromise the adherence to post-transplantation treatment is one of the concerns of the Programa de Transplante Hepático Infantil (PTHI) from the Hospital de Clínicas in Porto Alegre. The social service has an evaluation protocol and works along with a pediatric patient support network, optimizing their inclusion on the waiting list for hepatic transplant, after evaluation of the main social problems. Objetive The aim is to outline the social cultural profile of the families and to show the intervention of the social service on the main transplantation social contraindication. Methodology A literature research was performed on the protocols used to evaluate 22 families of young candidates for transplant who were sent to social service between January 2006 and January 2007. Results The results showed that despite the low income of the 81,8% of the families, the work done by the social service enabled 90,0% of the children whose families were cared for by the social service to be included in the waiting list for a hepatic transplant. Conclusão: From the results, it is clear to see the need of the social aspect on the organs transplant issue, considering the complexity of the procedure and the profile of the families. Working in partnership with a social support network is vital for the social work with low income families, who add this condition to the lack of health and transplant prescription.