TABLE 3.
Attitudes toward donor authorization, by next-of-kin donation decision
| Donation decisiona |
||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Yes (n = 348) | No (n = 213) | Statistical analysis | ||
| Donor authorization attitudes, mean (SD)b | 8.71 (2.2) | 7.29 (2.8) | t(549)=6.67, P<0.0001 | |
| If person dies and has documented that they wanted to be organ donor, it is not necessary to get family’s permission for donation | Strongly Disagree | 36 (10.3) | 54 (25.4) | χ2(3) = 39.7, P < 0.001 |
| Disagree | 91 (26.2) | 77 (36.1) | ||
| Agree | 132 (37.9) | 42 (19.7) | ||
| Strongly Agree | 89 (25.6) | 40 (18.8) | ||
| If person dies and has documented that they wanted to be organ donor, organs should be removed even if family objects to donation | Strongly Disagree | 29 (8.3) | 58 (27.2) | χ2(3) = 66.9, P < 0.001 |
| Disagree | 64 (18.4) | 70 (32.9) | ||
| Agree | 181 (52.0) | 56 (26.3) | ||
| Strongly Agree | 74 (21.3) | 29 (13.6) | ||
| Family should have right to overrule person’s documented organ donation decision, at the time of death | Strongly Disagree | 89 (25.6) | 42 (19.7) | χ2(3) = 115.6, P < 0.001 |
| Disagree | 199 (57.2) | 44 (20.7) | ||
| Agree | 43 (12.3) | 78 (36.6) | ||
| Strongly Agree | 17 (4.9) | 49 (23.0) | ||
Data are n (%) unless noted. Percentages reflect percent of respondents endorsing each response item within the respective donor/nondonor category (i.e., column).
a
Refers to the decision made by next-of-kin participant when approached about donating the organs of a deceased family member.
b
Mean aggregate score for the three questions (strongly disagree = 1, disagree = 2, agree = 3, strongly agree = 4; range 3–12), with higher scores reflecting more favorable attitudes toward donor authorization. Ratings on the last question were reverse scored.