Assessing the factors that influence the donation of a deceased family member's organs in an opt-out system for organ donation

Bereaved family members' perspectives of their organ donation decision at 3 months post death of the donor-eligible patient in critical care: A dual-method study

BACKGROUND

Offering organ donation is part of routine end-of-life care in critical care. Families describe feeling emotionally overwhelmed, which reduces their ability to understand complex medical information necessary to make informed decisions about organ donation. Late decisional regret is more common among families who decline donation. Thus, it is vital to investigate whether the organ donation decision choices that families make in hospital endure unchanged and what factors affect their perspectives.

OBJECTIVES

The objective of this study was to explore family members' perspectives of their final organ donation decision in hospital, either to consent or to decline donation, at around 90 d later.

METHODS

This dual-method study comprised semistructured interviews of family members of donor-eligible patients who experienced care in seven metropolitan teaching hospitals, a tertiary paediatric hospital, and a major regional hospital in New South Wales, Australia. Interviews were audio recorded and transcribed verbatim. Descriptive quantitative analysis and thematic analysis were used.

FINDINGS

Participants overwhelmingly agreed that their organ donation decision remained unchanged at 3 months after the death of their relative (n = 127, 97%). The remainder (n = 3, 2%) were unsure or stated "possibly not" (n = 1, 1%); in these cases, the eligible donor was certified dead via circulatory criteria. Five themes were synthesised in relation to the organ donation decision: Knowledge of the donor-eligible patient's prior wishes, Family members' prior decision to donate their own organs, Solace in the decision, Altruism, and Reality of the process.

CONCLUSIONS

The organ donation decision choice remained unchanged for the large majority. Further research is required to ascertain how people can be assisted to understand the organ donation process, particularly in the setting of certification of death by circulatory criteria, and how best to positively influence consent rates.

CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRY NUMBER

Australian and New Zealand Clinical Trial Registration ACTRN12613000815763.

Assessing the influence of affective attitudes, demography and blood donor status on organ donor registration active decisions in opt-out systems

In contrast to opt-in systems, relatively little is known about what influences whether or not people register a decision about organ donation in opt-out systems. We address this gap in the literature. Participants (N = 756) living in a country with opt-out consent (Wales, UK) provided information on demographics and blood donor status. Participants indicated whether they had opted-in or opted-out (i.e. active decision), or not registered a decision under the assumption of deemed consent. Subsequently, their negative emotional beliefs (or affective attitudes) towards organ donation were measured. Opting-in was associated with being younger, having donated blood and holding superstitious beliefs about donation (jinx). Disgust (ick factor) deterred opting-in, and bodily integrity concerns increased opting-out. Positive affective attitudes increased opting-in and deterred opting-out. Actively opting-in increases the likelihood of organs being transplanted, thus, modifying affective attitudes and targeting blood donors should enhance the number of donors available under opt-out systems.

"I am in favour of organ donation, but I feel you should opt-in"-qualitative analysis of the #options 2020 survey free-text responses from NHS staff toward opt-out organ donation legislation in England

BACKGROUND

In May 2020, England moved to an opt-out organ donation system, meaning adults are presumed to be an organ donor unless within an excluded group or have opted-out. This change aims to improve organ donation rates following brain or circulatory death. Healthcare staff in the UK are supportive of organ donation, however, both healthcare staff and the public have raised concerns and ethical issues regarding the change. The #options survey was completed by NHS organisations with the aim of understanding awareness and support of the change. This paper analyses the free-text responses from the survey.

METHODS

The #options survey was registered as a National Institute of Health Research (NIHR) portfolio trial [IRAS 275992] 14 February 2020, and was completed between July and December 2020 across NHS organisations in the North-East and North Cumbria, and North Thames. The survey contained 16 questions of which three were free-text, covering reasons against, additional information required and family discussions. The responses to these questions were thematically analysed.

RESULTS

The #options survey received 5789 responses from NHS staff with 1404 individuals leaving 1657 free-text responses for analysis. The family discussion question elicited the largest number of responses (66%), followed by those against the legislation (19%), and those requiring more information (15%). Analysis revealed six main themes with 22 sub-themes.

CONCLUSIONS

The overall #options survey indicated NHS staff are supportive of the legislative change. Analysis of the free-text responses indicates that the views of the NHS staff who are against the change reflect the reasons, misconceptions, and misunderstandings of the public. Additional concerns included the rationale for the change, informed decision making, easy access to information and information regarding organ donation processes. Educational materials and interventions need to be developed for NHS staff to address the concepts of autonomy and consent, organ donation processes, and promote family conversations. Wider public awareness campaigns should continue to promote the positives and refute the negatives thus reducing misconceptions and misunderstandings.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

National Institute of Health Research (NIHR) [IRAS 275992].

Global legislation regulating the donation, procurement and distribution processes of organs and tissues from deceased donors for transplants: A scoping review

Introduction

Organ transplantation is one of the most successful advances in modern medicine. However, a legal system is necessary for its practice to be free from ethical flaws and to respect donors, recipients, and family members.

Objective

To map the global legislation regulating the donation, capture and distribution processes of organs and tissues from deceased donors for transplants.

Method

A scoping review according to the Joanna Briggs Institute was conducted in the following databases: Medline, CINAHL, Virtual Health Library, SCOPUS, Web of Science, Science Direct, and EMBASE, as well as gray literature, and reported according to the PRISMA extension for scoping reviews.

Results

We identified 3302 records, of which 77 were analyzed which enabled mapping the type of consent adopted and the existence of current legislation for harvesting organs and tissues after circulatory and brain death.

Conclusion

Opt-out consent predominates in Europe, and there is harvesting after brain and circulatory death. Opt-out predominates in the Americas, while Opt-in and harvesting of organs and tissues after brain death predominate in Asia and Oceania. The procurement of organs and tissues from deceased donors is practically non-existent in Africa.