D C M Vetterli1, S A G Lava2, S Essig3, G Milosevic4, G Cajöri5, D E Uehlinger6, M B Moor7. 1. Medical School, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland; Department of Pediatrics, Cantonal Hospital Aarau, Aarau, Switzerland. 2. Medical School, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland; University Children's Hospital, Inselspital, Bern and University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland. 3. Institute of Social and Preventive Medicine, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland; Institute of Primary and Community Care, Lucerne, Switzerland; Swiss Paraplegic Research, Nottwil, Switzerland. 4. Division of Radiology, Cantonal Hospital Baden, Baden, Switzerland. 5. Department of Internal Medicine, Spital Einsiedeln, Einsiedeln, Switzerland. 6. Department of Nephrology and Hypertension, University Hospital of Bern, Bern, Switzerland. 7. Medical School, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland; Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland. Electronic address: matthias.moor@unil.ch.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Lack of donor organs remains a major obstacle in organ transplantation. Our aim was to evaluate (1) the association between engaging in high-risk recreational activities and attitudes toward organ donation and (2) the degree of reciprocity between organ acceptance and donation willingness in young men. METHODS: A 17-item, close-ended survey was offered to male conscripts ages 18 to 26 years in all Swiss military conscription centers. Predictors of organ donation attitudes were assessed in bivariate analyses and multiple logistic regression. Reciprocity of the intentions to accept and to donate organs was assessed by means of donor card status. RESULTS: In 1559 responses analyzed, neither motorcycling nor practicing extreme sports reached significant association with donor card holder status. Family communication about organ donation, student, or academic profession and living in a Latin linguistic region were predictors of positive organ donation attitudes, whereas residence in a German-speaking region and practicing any religion predicted reluctance. Significantly more respondents were willing to accept than to donate organs, especially among those without family communication concerning organ donation. CONCLUSIONS: For the first time, it was shown that high-risk recreational activities do not influence organ donation attitudes. Second, a considerable discrepancy in organ donation reciprocity was identified. We propose that increasing this reciprocity could eventually increase organ donation rates.
BACKGROUND: Lack of donor organs remains a major obstacle in organ transplantation. Our aim was to evaluate (1) the association between engaging in high-risk recreational activities and attitudes toward organ donation and (2) the degree of reciprocity between organ acceptance and donation willingness in young men. METHODS: A 17-item, close-ended survey was offered to male conscripts ages 18 to 26 years in all Swiss military conscription centers. Predictors of organ donation attitudes were assessed in bivariate analyses and multiple logistic regression. Reciprocity of the intentions to accept and to donate organs was assessed by means of donor card status. RESULTS: In 1559 responses analyzed, neither motorcycling nor practicing extreme sports reached significant association with donor card holder status. Family communication about organ donation, student, or academic profession and living in a Latin linguistic region were predictors of positive organ donation attitudes, whereas residence in a German-speaking region and practicing any religion predicted reluctance. Significantly more respondents were willing to accept than to donate organs, especially among those without family communication concerning organ donation. CONCLUSIONS: For the first time, it was shown that high-risk recreational activities do not influence organ donation attitudes. Second, a considerable discrepancy in organ donation reciprocity was identified. We propose that increasing this reciprocity could eventually increase organ donation rates.
Authors: Amanda M Rosenblum; Lucy D Horvat; Laura A Siminoff; Versha Prakash; Janice Beitel; Amit X Garg Journal: Nephrol Dial Transplant Date: 2011-11-25 Impact factor: 5.992