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A comparison of registered and unregistered organ donors’ perceptions about transplant recipients
Author(s) -
Hyde Melissa K.,
White Katherine M.
Publication year - 2011
Publication title -
clinical transplantation
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.918
H-Index - 76
eISSN - 1399-0012
pISSN - 0902-0063
DOI - 10.1111/j.1399-0012.2010.01257.x
Subject(s) - medicine , psychological intervention , perception , multivariate analysis , multivariate analysis of variance , organ transplantation , family medicine , transplantation , psychiatry , psychology , neuroscience , machine learning , computer science
Hyde MK, White KM. A comparison of registered and unregistered organ donors’ perceptions about transplant recipients.
Clin Transplant 2011: 25: 444–449. © 2010 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Abstract: Background: We examined whether registered and unregistered donors’ perceptions about transplant recipients’ previous behavior (e.g., substance use) and responsibility for illness differed based on their deceased organ donor registration decisions. Methods: Students and community members from Queensland, Australia, were surveyed about their perceptions of transplant recipients. Results: Respondents (n = 465) were grouped based on their organ donor registration status to determine whether their perceptions about transplant recipients differed. Compared to registered respondents, a higher proportion of unregistered respondents held more negative and less favorable perceptions of recipients. Multivariate analysis of variance confirmed statistically that unregistered respondents evaluated recipients more negatively than registered respondents, F (6, 449) = 5.33, p < 0.001. Unregistered respondents were more likely to view recipients as a smoker, substance user, or alcohol dependent and as undeserving of a transplant, blameworthy, and responsible for their illness. Conclusion: Potential donors’ perceptions of transplant recipients’ behavior and responsibility for illness differ according to their registration status. Future interventions should challenge negative perceptions about recipients’ deservingness and responsibility and promote the perspective that people from all walks of life need transplants in the aim of ultimately encouraging an increase in donor registration.