Recommended Citation
Loughery C, Andrews AM, Zhang N, Smith AH, Resnicow K, Chapman R, Riley HJ, Stav S, and Yee J. Organ donation attitudes among individuals with stage 5 chronic kidney disease. Transplant Direct 2018; 4(8):e378.
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
8-1-2018
Publication Title
Transplant Direct
Abstract
Background: The need for transplantable organs drastically outweighs the supply. Misconceptions are a barrier to increasing the rate of donor registration. Individuals with stage 5 chronic kidney disease (CKD) may incorrectly believe they are unable to be donors; however, their attitudes have not been studied. This study aims to explore beliefs of individuals with stage 5 CKD about their ability to donate and test the validity of an organ donation scale.
Methods: We examined the psychometric properties of a new 25-item organ donation scale among 554 patients with stage 5 CKD at 12 dialysis units in southeast Michigan. Patients completed surveys during dialysis treatment with assistance from a program coordinator or social worker.
Results: Two subscales with good psychometric properties were identified: general benefits (α = 0.86) and general barriers (α = 0.80). For both subscales, more positive attitudes were associated with higher intent to sign up on the donor registry, suggesting validity of the scale.
Conclusions: Patients who were older than 60 years, white, or of higher education status reported more positive attitudes. Misconceptions about the ability of patients with stage 5 CKD to donate are common and highlight a need for education about donor eligibility. Individuals with stage 5 CKD may be able to donate organs and tissues.
PubMed ID
30255138
Volume
4
Issue
8
First Page
378
