Table 2.
Likelihood to donate brain according to participant characteristics and survey responses. Continuous variables are compared using t-tests and categorical variables using chi-square tests.
| Not likely to donate brain (n=178) |
Likely to donate brain (n=301) |
p-value | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Variables | Mean ± SD or Number (%) |
Mean (SD) or Number (%) |
|
| Participant characteristics | |||
| Age, yrs (Range: 48 – 99) | 73.3 ± 8.9 | 75.5 ± 8.6 | <0.01** |
| Female | 129 (75%) | 194 (66%) | 0.047* |
| Education (yrs) | 15.0 ± 3.4 | 15.3 ± 3.7 | 0.37 |
| Living Alone | 78 (45%) | 95 (32%) | <0.01** |
| Household finances (Enough resources) |
76 (45%) | 155 (53%) | 0.08 |
| Cognitive impairment | 53 (30%) | 81 (28%) | 0.59 |
| Race/ethnicity | |||
| White | 41 (24%) | 144 (49%) | <0.0001*** |
| Black | 96 (55%) | 73 (25%) | |
| Hispanic | 14 (8%) | 47 (16%) | |
| Asian | 22 (13%) | 28 (10%) | |
| Family | |||
| Most likely to discuss with spouse | 53 (30%) | 153 (51%) | <0.0001*** |
| Most likely to discuss with child | 86 (48%) | 117 (39%) | 0.04* |
| Person most likely to talk to is supportive of decision |
45 (30%) | 213 (75%) | <0.0001*** |
| Donation is mostly a personal decision vs. family decision |
132 (76%) | 262 (88%) | <0.001** |
| Family will not have difficulty carrying out your wishes after death |
44 (34%) | 224 (77%) | <0.0001*** |
| Family members trusts medical researchers |
65 (38%) | 150 (52%) | <0.01** |
| Religion | |||
| Religious affiliation | |||
| Christian- Catholic | 22 (13%) | 70 (24%) | <0.0001*** |
| Christian - Protestant | 115 (66%) | 148 (51%) | |
| Jewish | 14 (8%) | 15 (5%) | |
| Other Religion | 6 (3%) | 1 (<1%) | |
| No Affiliation | 16 (9%) | 57 (20%) | |
| Church attendance at least weekly |
91 (58%) | 116 (49%) | 0.09 |
| Religiosity (Scale 1 – 7) | 5.3 ± 2.1 | 4.3 ± 2.5 | <0.0001*** |
| Spirituality (Scale 1 – 7) | 5.7 ± 1.9 | 5.3 ± 2.1 | 0.04* |
| Arranged for cremation vs. not | 32 (19%) | 103 (36%) | <0.001** |
| Body should remain whole | 58 (33%) | 18 (6%) | <0.0001*** |
| Plans for open casket vs. none | 62 (35%) | 49 (16%) | <0.0001*** |
|
Research experience, knowledge & concerns |
|||
| Duration of follow-up, yrs | 5.1 ± 4.3 | 6.9 ± 5.4 | <0.0001*** |
| Asked by staff to donate brain | 105 (63%) | 254 (87%) | <0.0001*** |
| Heard a presentation on brain donation |
28 (16%) | 83 (29%) | <0.01** |
| Primary reason for research participation is to help future generations |
95 (55%) | 210 (70%) | <0.01** |
| Prefer a researcher/doctor ask me about donating vs. an RA |
97 (85%) | 192 (83%) | 0.70 |
| It makes a difference who asks me about donating |
49 (30%) | 54 (21%) | 0.03* |
| Do you understand… | |||
| ‥how study of brain is important for research on AD? |
145 (88%) | 273 (93%) | 0.14 |
| ‥what researchers will do with brain? |
50 (31%) | 143 (55%) | <0.0001*** |
| ‥how researchers will remove brain? |
37 (22%) | 98 (35%) | <0.01** |
| ‥what one needs to do ahead of time? |
57 (35%) | 185 (65%) | <0.0001*** |
| ‥difference between brain donation for research and donation of other organs for patients in need? |
66 (42%) | 191 (68%) | <0.0001*** |
| More info would be helpful | 84 (49%) | 93 (32%) | <0.001** |
| Inviting clergy go talk about brain donation would be helpful |
21 (12%) | 32 (11%) | 0.71 |
| Concern about body's appearance after autopsy |
42 (25%) | 16 (5%) | <0.0001*** |
| Concern researchers will not be respectful |
70 (41%) | 41 (14%) | <0.0001*** |
| Trust medical researchers | 125 (71%) | 259 (88%) | <0.0001*** |