NEW RESEARCH: Our Faculty Investigator, Lauren Nephew, MD, MA, MSc, recently published findings from a study investigating sources of Americans' willingness to become living organ donors in JAMA Network Open. Analyzing data from nearly 10,000 participants in the 2019 National Survey of Organ Donation Attitudes and Practices, the study identified three factors that strongly influence donation willingness: greater knowledge of living donation, higher religiosity, and a perception of fairness in the transplant system.
IMPACT: This study has significant implications for addressing the critical organ shortage in the United States by identifying key barriers to living organ donation that are potentially modifiable through targeted interventions.The research reveals that willingness to become a living organ donor is strongly associated with knowledge about living donation options and perceptions of fairness within the transplant system. Moreover, the findings challenged common assumtions by showing that religiosity actually increases donation likelihood rather than creating barriers. These insights support calls for standardized education about living donation, transparency reforms in organ procurement organizations, and culturally competent community outreach programs in an effort to increase living donation rates. The study's national scope and identification of specific, addressable barriers provide evidence-based guidance for policy makers, transplant centers, and public health officials to develop targeted interventions that could help bridge the gap between organ demand and supply while promoting more equitable access to life-saving transplants.
For more details, read the complete article here.