Current attitudes toward organ donation after cardiac death in northwest China.

Xiaoming Pan; Linjuan Liu; Heli Xiang; Chenguang Ding; Li Ren; Wujun Xue

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Current attitudes toward organ donation after cardiac death in northwest China.

Author: Xiaoming PAN ^{1
,

2} ; Linjuan LIU ³ ; Heli XIANG ⁴ ; Chenguang DING ⁵ ; Li REN ⁴ ; Wujun XUE ¹ ;
Author Information

1. Nephropathy Center, First Affiliated Hospital, Medical College of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710061, China
2. Institute of Organ Transplantation, First Affiliated Hospital, Medical College of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710061, China. Email: drpanxiaoming@126.com.
3. Coordination Group of Shaanxi Red Cross Organization, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710018, China.
4. Institute of Organ Transplantation, First Affiliated Hospital, Medical College of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710061, China.
5. Nephropathy Center, First Affiliated Hospital, Medical College of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710061, China.
Publication Type:Journal Article
MeSH: Adult; Attitude; China; Death; Decision Making; Female; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Surveys and Questionnaires; Tissue and Organ Procurement; statistics & numerical data
From: Chinese Medical Journal 2014;127(5):835-838
CountryChina
Language:English
Abstract:
BACKGROUNDPeople's attitude toward organ donation after cardiac death (DCD) has not come to an agreement in different countries and regions. Influenced by the local culture in China for thousands of years, the general public has different ideas about this issue. The purpose of this study was to investigate the current attitudes trend and characteristics of transplantation with organs donated after cardiac death in northwest China.
METHODSThis largest single-center cohort study was performed by an interview or by telephone using a questionnaire. The family members of potential DCD donors were recruited from the First Affiliated Hospital, medical college of Xi'an Jiaotong University located in a metropolitan area of northwest China. The 12-item attitude questionnaire was specifically developed from the literature review with coordinator, physician, and donor's family feedback. The participants were asked to rate the queries on a 5-point Likert intensity scale.
RESULTSThe 174 participants included 56 (32.2%) women and 118 (67.8%) men. Most people were aged between 41 and 50 years (n = 63, 36.2%), 31 and 40 years (n = 59, 33.9%), and less than 30 years (n = 36, 20.7%). The top five attitudes of participants were the best person to suggest organ donation to a family was ranked as the DCD coordinator of Red Cross Organization (RCO, n = 160, 92%), donor is a hero (n = 143, 82.2%), honor to be a donor's family member (n = 136, 78.2%), improved relationship with colleagues (n = 124, 71.3%), and with recipient after donation (n = 123, 70.7%). The best person to suggest organ donation to a family was ranked as the coordinator of RCO (n = 160, 92%), doctor unrelated to transplantation (n = 104, 59.8%), social worker (n = 36, 20.7%), and doctor related to transplantation (n = 25, 14.4%). The top two reasons for non-consent to donation were that the family insisted on intact body after patient death and did not want to have surgery again (n = 51, 41.5%), and feared that they would be misunderstood by neighbors, relatives, and friends about donation (n = 28, 22.8%).
CONCLUSIONSThis study revealed initial attitudes toward DCD in China. Some data afford insight into the decision-making procedure. The concerns of potential DCD donors and their families may help professionals provide better interventions in the future.