Correlates of support for organ donation among three ethnic groups

Telephone interviews about organ donation were conducted with 4880 white respondents, 634 African–American respondents and 566 Hispanic respondents. Forty‐three percent (42.9%) of whites, 31.2% of Hispanics and 22.6% of African–Americans reported that they were willing to donate their organs after their death (p<0.001). Logistic regression analysis revealed three significant correlates of willingness to donate across all ethnic groups: having had a family discussion about end‐of‐life issues; the belief that a doctor does all he or she can to save a life before pursuing donation; and concerns about surgical ‘disfigurement’ of a relative’s body after donation. Concerns in relation to body disfigurement were more prevalent among African–American and Hispanic respondents (p<0.001) than among white respondents. Public education should: a) stress the need for family communication about end‐of‐life issues including organ donation; b) underline the fact that donation is considered only after all efforts to save the life of the patient are exhausted; and c) reassure minorities that the body of the donor is treated respectfully and not disfigured.