Not only recipients but also donors can beaffected by liver transplantation. Only a small number of qualitative studies have explored donors' beliefs.

The aim of this study was to explore donors' beliefs about liverfailure and transplantation surgery.

The sample consisted of 16 living donors of livertransplant. An interview guide was followed during the interviews. Thematicanalysis was undertaken in parallel with interviews. Established conventions were followed foranalyzing anonymised interview transcripts inductively.

Participants’ accounts can be grouped into anumber of beliefs including beliefs about liver failure, being a donor, transplantationand organ donation. Beliefs about renal failure included diverse explanationsfor liver failure (blamingoneself and doctors, senseless drug use, stress, God’s will) and physical symptoms(yellowing, itching). Beliefs about being a donor includedreasons for being a donor (performing a good deed, being healed, not committing a sin), barriers to being a donor (beingcriticized by others, other people beingsenseless, ignorant and selfish), ways to manage these barriers (gettingloved ones’ consent, following one’s gut feeling), factors facilitating being adonor (having a few responsibilities and not having many people to leave behind). Beliefs about transplantation surgery included physical effects (pain, feeling stiff). Beliefs about organ donation included the views that organ donationshould beencouraged and awarenessshould be raised.

Somebeliefs could be interpreted in terms of existing psychologicaltheory. However, other beliefs which werenot reported before could be viewed as targetsfor psycho-educational programs.