Information sources, donation knowledge, and attitudes toward transplant recipients in Australia

Context Knowledge is linked consistently with organ donation attitudes, willingness, and consent. Negative information about donation and the recipients of donation can affect public opinion and donation willingness. However, it is unclear which information sources are most important in forming knowledge, particularly in Australia where little prior research exists.

Objectives To identify information sources that may inform Australians' organ donation knowledge and attitudes toward transplant recipients.

Participants 1487 Australian residents aged 18 years or older who completed an online survey.

Main Outcome Measures Self-reported knowledge, information sources, and attitudes toward transplant recipients.

Results Participants felt fairly well informed about organ donation, particularly if they registered donation wishes, were female, and were older. More than half reported their driver's license, television news, and discussion with family/friends as donation information sources. However, information sources contributing to knowledge were personal experience, online, hospital, government campaign, discussion with family/friends, Medicare, doctor's surgery, and the newspaper. Differences based on registration status, sex, and age, were found. Discussion with family/friends and movies or television shows, as well as not having seen information in a newspaper or doctor's surgery, contributed to positive attitudes toward recipients, although the variance explained was small.

Conclusions People felt more informed by personal, medical, and government information sources than by mass media. Family discussion was not only a common information source but also contributed significantly and positively to both donation knowledge and attitudes toward recipients. Further exploration of information sources contributing to donation knowledge and community attitudes toward transplant recipients among young men is needed.

© 2014 NATCO, The Organization for Transplant Professionals