"Don't know enough about it!": awareness and attitudes toward organ donation and transplantation among the black Caribbean and black African population in Lambeth, Southwark, and Lewisham, United Kingdom.

BACKGROUND: The current demand for transplant organs, particularly kidneys, far outweighs the supply in the United Kingdom. This problem is particularly severe for the black African and black Caribbean population, who have been shown to have a disproportionately greater presentation on kidney transplant waiting lists in some regions of the United Kingdom. The situation is clear: There is an urgent need to address the number of black African and black Caribbean patients requiring a kidney transplant, otherwise the human and economic costs will be high.
METHODS: An exploratory study was undertaken to assess the current awareness of organ donation and transplantation and to explore attitudes toward these issues in a cross-section of the black African and black Caribbean population in Lambeth, Southwark, and Lewisham.
RESULTS: It was found that there was a lack of available information for the black African and black Caribbean communities. This precipitated low levels of awareness about organ donation and transplantation issues.
CONCLUSIONS: In an effort to redress this, effective methods for targeting black African and black Caribbean groups are required. From this study, there are indications that appeals for organ donors may be more effectively communicated by using a grass-roots, community-network approach. For this reason, consideration should be given to language and cultural needs, and to the provision of culturally sensitive material and information.