Behavior Profile of Family Members of Donors and Nondonors of Organs

• Published in: Transplantation proceedings Vol. 41; no. 3; pp. 799 - 801
• Main Authors: Moraes, B.N, Bacal, F, Teixeira, M.C.T.V, Fiorelli, A.I, Leite, P.L, Fiorelli, L.R, Stolf, N.A.G, Bocchi, E.A
• Format: Journal Article Conference Proceeding
• Language: English
• Published: Amsterdam Elsevier Inc 01.04.2009; Elsevier
• Subjects: Adult; Attitude to Death; Attitude to Health; Behavior; Biological and medical sciences; Brain Death; Decision Making; Educational Status; Family; Female; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Fundamental immunology; Humans; Income; Informed Consent; Interviews as Topic; Male; Medical sciences; Professional-Family Relations; Refusal to Participate; Religion; Surgery; Surgery (general aspects). Transplantations, organ and tissue grafts. Graft diseases; Tissue and Organ Procurement - methods; Tissue and Organ Procurement - statistics & numerical data; Tissue Donors; Tissue, organ and graft immunology; Medicine; Treatment; Surgery; Related donor; Graft; Transplantation; Behavior; Profile; Organ
• ISSN: 0041-1345; 1873-2623
• DOI: 10.1016/j.transproceed.2009.02.043

Abstract Organ transplant shortage is a global problem caused by several factors, most of which are related to members of the family, who play a major role in the donation process. Objective We sought to determine the most determinant features in the donor profile that relate to positive decisions versus refusal of donation. Material and Methods Fifty-six families who were approached by the Organ Procurement Organization (OPO) from November 2004 to April 2006 agreed to participate in this work. To assess donor profiles, we used a structured interview. Results Parental involvement directly in decisions about donation lead to significantly less frequent consent ( P = .005), young donor age was associated with a reduced probability of donation ( P = .002), violent death negatively influenced donation consent, excluding suicide ( P = .004). Conclusion The present study showed violent death, young patient age, and parental donation consent to be the most important factors that make it harder to obtain consent organ donation. When a collateral relative (sibling/uncle) or children were responsible for the donation decision, there was more success of consent.