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BACKGROUND: Disparities in hypertension control are well documented but underaddressed. METHODS: RICH LIFE (Reducing Inequities in Care of Hypertension: Lifestyle Improvement for Everyone) was a 2-arm, cluster randomized trial comparing the effect on blood pressure (BP) control (systolic BP =140 mm Hg, diastolic BP =90 mm Hg), patient activation, and disparities in BP control of 2 multilevel interventions, standard of care plus (SCP) and collaborative care/stepped care (CC/SC). SCP included BP measurement standardization, audit and feedback, and equity-leadership training. CC/SC added roles to address social or medical needs. Primary outcomes were BP control and patient activation at 12 months. Generalized estimating equations and mixed-effects regression models with fixed effects of time, intervention, and their interaction compared change in outcomes at 12 months from baseline. RESULTS: A total of 1820 adults with uncontrolled BP and =1 other risk factors enrolled in the study. Their mean age was 60.3 years, and baseline BP was 152.3/85.5 mm Hg; 59.4% were women; 57.4% were Black, 33.2% were White, and 9.4% were Hispanic; 74% had hyperlipidemia; and 45.1% had type 2 diabetes. CC/SC did not improve BP control rates more than SCP. Both groups achieved statistically and clinically significant BP control rates at 12 months (CC/SC: 57.3% [95% CI, 52.7%-62.0%]; SCP: 56.7% [95% CI, 51.9%-61.5%]). Pairwise comparisons between racial and ethnic groups showed overall no significant differences in BP control at 12 months. Patients with coronary heart disease showed greater achievement of BP control in CC/SC than in SCP (64.0% [95% CI, 54.1%-73.9%] versus 50.8% [95% CI, 42.6%-59.0%]; P=0.04), as did patients in rural areas (67.3% [95% CI, 49.8%-84.8%] versus 47.8% [95% CI, 32.4%-63.2%]; P=0.01). Individuals in both arms experienced statistically and clinically significant reductions in mean systolic BP (CC/SC: -13.8 mm Hg [95% CI, -15.2 to -12.5]; SCP: -14.6 mm Hg [95% CI, -15.9 to -13.2]) and diastolic BP (CC/SC: -6.9 mm Hg [95% CI, -7.8 to -6.1]; SCP: -5.5 mm Hg [95% CI, -6.4 to -4.6]) over time. The difference in diastolic BP reduction between CC/SC and SCP over time was statistically significant (-1.4 mm Hg [95% CI, -2.6 to -0.2). Patient activation did not differ between arms. CC/SC showed greater improvements in patient ratings of chronic illness care (Patient Assessment of Chronic Illness Care score) over 12 months (0.12 [95% CI, 0.02-0.22]). CONCLUSIONS: Adding a collaborative care team to enhanced standard of care did not improve BP control but did improve patient ratings of chronic illness care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Supplemental Digital Content is Available in the Text. This mixed-methods study aims to understand what the perceptions of leaders and healthcare professionals are regarding causes of disparities, cultural competence, and motivation before launching a disparity reduction project in hypertension care, contrasting perceptions in Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs), and in a non-FQHC system. We interviewed leaders of six participating primary care systems and surveyed providers and staff. FQHC respondents reported more positive cultural competence attitudes and behavior, higher motivation to implement the project, and less concern about barriers to caring for disadvantaged patients than those in the non-FQHC practices; however, egalitarian beliefs were similar among all. Qualitative analysis suggested that the organizational missions of the FQHCs reflect their critical role in serving vulnerable populations. All system leaders were aware of the challenges of provider care to underserved groups, but comprehensive initiatives to address social determinants of health and improve cultural competence were still needed in both system types. The study provides insights into the perceptions and motivations of primary care organizational leaders and providers who are interested in improving chronic care. It also offers an example for care disparity programs to understand commitment and values of the participants for tailoring interventions and setting baseline for progress. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Examine feasibility and construct validity of Pictorial Fit-Frail scale (PFFS) for the first time in older surgical patients. Background: The PFFS uses visual images to measure health state in 14 domains and has been previously validated in outpatient geriatric clinics. Methods: Patients ≥65 year-old who were evaluated in a multidisciplinary thoracic surgery clinic from November 2020 to May 2021 were prospectively included. Patients completed an in-person PFFS and Vulnerable Elders Survey (VES-13) during their visit, and a frailty index was calculated from the PFFS (PFFStrans). A geriatrician performed a comprehensive geriatric assessment (CGA) either in-person or virtually, from which a Frailty Index (FI-CGA) and Frailty Questionnaire (FRAIL) scale were obtained. To assess the validity of the PFFS in this population, the Spearman rank correlations (rspearman) between PFFStrans and VES-13, FI-CGA, FRAIL were calculated. Results: All 49 patients invited to participate agreed, of which 46/49 (94%) completed the PFFS so a score could be calculated. The majority of patients (59%) underwent an in-person CGA and the reminder (41%) a virtual CGA. The cohort was mainly female (59.0%), with a median age of 77 (range: 67–90). The median PFFStrans was 0.27 (interquartile range [IQR] 0.12-0.34), PFFS was 11 (IQR 5–14), and 0.24 (IQR 0.13–0.32) for FI-CGA. We observed a strong correlation between the PFFStrans and FI-CGA (rspearman = 0.81, P < 0.001) and a moderate correlation between PFFStrans and VES-13 and FRAIL score (rspearman = 0.68 and 0.64 respectively, P < 0.001). Conclusions: PFFS had good feasibility and construct validity among older surgical patients when compared to previously validated frailty measurements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The use of nurse care managers (CMs) and community health workers (CHWs) has demonstrated effectiveness in supporting improved blood pressure management among racially, ethnically, and socioeconomically minoritized populations. We partnered with a community advisory board (CAB) to develop a CM and CHW training curriculum and team-based collaborative care intervention to address uncontrolled hypertension. The objective of this study was to train CMs and CHWs to implement patient-centered techniques and address social determinants of health related to hypertension control. In partnership with a CAB, we developed and implemented a training curriculum for the CM/CHW collaborative care team. The training improved CM and CHW confidence in their ability to address medical and nonmedical issues that contribute to uncontrolled hypertension in their patients; however, preexisting norms and beliefs among CMs and CHWs created challenges with teamwork. The training curriculum was feasible and well-received. Additionally, the CMs' and CHWs' reactions provided insights to improve future collaborative care training and teamwork. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: A health system's commitment to delivering culturally competent care is essential in creating a culture of respect for patients, clinicians, and administrative staff. As the diversity of the health care workforce grows, gaining an understanding of the perspectives among different health care personnel and the value that they place on organizational cultural competence is a first step in developing more effective team environments. Purpose: The aimof the study was to determine whether an association exists between perceptions of organizational cultural competence and teamwork climate among employees in a health system. Methodology/Approach: One thousand eighty employees in a primary care network consisting of 49 ambulatory practices were surveyed on their perceptions of senior management's efforts in organizational cultural competence and teamwork climate in their own work setting using 5-point Likert scales. Linear regression models were used to evaluate the association between organizational cultural competence and teamwork climate. Results: The overall organizational response rate for the surveywas 84%.Higher perception of organizational cultural competencewas associatedwith better teamwork climate (coef. = 0.4, p G0.001) after adjusting for gender, age, years in specialty, race, and position type. The association was stronger in magnitude for support staff compared to administrators and clinicians and stronger for younger compared to older age groups. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Keywords: COVID-19; ethnic groups; healthcare disparities; health status disparities EN COVID-19 ethnic groups healthcare disparities health status disparities 105 107 3 07/16/20 20200714 NES 200714 The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has unmasked long-standing racial and ethnic health-related disparities. COVID-19, ethnic groups, healthcare disparities, health status disparities. [Extracted from the article]

An introduction is presented in which the editor discusses various reports within the issue on topics including obesity, hypertension treatment and surveillance and measurement of blood pressure.

Background: Disproportionate exposure to poor food environments and food insecurity among Black Americans may partially explain critical chronic disease disparities by race and ethnicity. A complex set of structural factors and interactions between Black residents and their food environments, including store types, quantity, proximity, and quality of goods and consumer interactions within stores, may affect nutritional behaviors and contribute to higher cardiovascular and kidney disease risk.Methods: We used the Photovoice methodology to explore the food environment in Baltimore, MD, through the perspectives of Black residents with hypertension between August and November 2019. Twenty-four participants were enrolled in the study (mean age: 65.1 years; 67% female). After a brief photography training, participants captured photos of their food environment, which they discussed in small focus groups over the course of 5 weeks. Discussions were audiotaped and analyzed for emergent themes using a line-by-line inductive approach. Themes were, then, organized into a collective narrative.Results: Findings describe physical and social features of the food environment as well as participants' perceptions of its origins and holistic and generational health effects. The study illustrates the interrelationships among the broader socio-political environment, the quality and quantity of stores in the food landscape, and the ways in which they engage with the food environment as residents and consumers who have been marginalized due to their race and/or social class. The following meta-themes emerged from the data: (1) social injustice; (2) structural racism and classism; (3) interpersonal racism; (4) generational effects; (5) mistrust; (6) social programs; and (7) community asset-based approaches, including advocacy and civic engagement.Conclusions: Understanding residents' perceptions of the foundations and effects of the food environment on their health may help stakeholders to cocreate multilevel interventions alongside residents to improve access to healthy food and health outcomes among disparities affected populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

African Americans suffer disproportionately poor hypertension control despite the availability of efficacious interventions. Using principles of community-based participatory research and implementation science, we adapted established hypertension self-management interventions to enhance interventions' cultural relevance and potential for sustained effectiveness among urban African Americans. We obtained input from patients and their family members, their health care providers, and community members. The process required substantial time and resources, and the adapted interventions will be tested in a randomized controlled trial. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Approximately one fourth of practicing physicians in the United States graduated from medical schools in other countries. It is unknown how the role of international medical graduate status affects physician decision-making.Objective: The objective of this study was to determine whether a primary care physicians' knowledge of a specialist's international medical graduate status affects his or her decision to refer patients to that specialist.Research Design and Subjects: We studied a national, cross-sectional study of primary care physicians who see adult patients. The sample was drawn from the American Medical Association Physician's Professional Data. Each physician received 2 clinical case vignettes describing a patient for whom referral to a specialist was considered necessary. Each vignette was followed by 5 vignette specialist descriptions with medical school graduate status varied randomly alongside other physician characteristics.Measure: We measured the decision to refer to an international versus U.S. medical graduate specialist.Results: Of 1054 eligible physicians, 623 (59.1%) responded. Respondents were significantly more likely to refer to a U.S. medical graduate (USMG) compared with an international medical graduate (IMG) (63% vs. 54%, P <0.05). After adjustment for age, race, sex, and referral characteristics of the vignette specialists, a positive referral decision was noted in a higher proportion of vignettes in which the vignette specialist was described as a USMG versus an IMG (63% vs. 51%, P <0.05).Conclusion: With other factors being equal, vignette specialists described as IMGs versus USMGs were significantly less likely to be associated with a positive referral decision. Although specialist IMG status, relative to other factors, might not have a major effect on referral decisions, it is possible that negative views of international medical graduates could lead to suboptimal choices in referral decisions. Potentially, a patient could be referred to an USMG who happens to have inferior clinical skills than an IMG with superior clinical skills. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: This study assessed the relation of comorbid depressive syndrome with utilization of emergency department services and preventable inpatient hospitalizations among elderly individuals with chronic medical conditions.Research Design: A cross-sectional study.Setting: Individuals greater than or equal to 65 years of age living in the United States with Medicare part A and B fee-for-service coverage in 1999.Subjects: A 5% random sample of elderly Medicare recipients (N = 1,238,895) of whom 60,382 (4.9%) met criteria for a depressive syndrome.Measurements: Medicare beneficiaries were stratified based on the presence of at least 1 of the following medical conditions: coronary artery disease, diabetes mellitus, congestive heart failure, hypertension, prostate cancer, breast cancer, lung cancer, or colon cancer. For each stratum, we compared the odds of emergency department visits, all-cause hospitalization, and hospitalization for ambulatory care sensitive conditions (ACSC), conditions for which timely and effective medical care could decrease risk of hospitalization, for beneficiaries with and without a depressive syndrome.Results: Compared with those without a depressive syndrome, beneficiaries with a depressive syndrome were more likely to be older, white, and female (P <0.001). For each of the 8 chronic medical conditions, elderly beneficiaries with a depressive syndrome were at least twice as likely to use emergency department services (range of adjusted odds ratios, 2.12-3.16; P <0.001); medical inpatient hospital services (range of adjusted odds ratios, 2.59-3.71; P <0.001); and medical inpatient hospital services associated with an ACSC (range of adjusted odds ratios, 1.72-2.68; P <0.001) as compared with those without a depressive syndrome.Conclusions: For elderly individuals with at least 1 chronic medical condition, the presence of a depressive syndrome increased the odds of acute medical service use, suggesting that improvements in clinical management, access to mental health services, and coordination of medical and mental health services could reduce utilization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Objectives: Individuals with low income or from minoritized racial or ethnic groups experience a high burden of hypertension and other chronic conditions (eg, diabetes, chronic kidney disease, and mental health conditions) and often lack access to specialist care when compared to their more socially advantaged counterparts. We used a mixed-methods approach to describe the deployment of a Remote Collaborative Specialist Panel intervention aimed at the comprehensive and coordinated management of patients with hypertension and comorbid conditions to address health disparities., Methods: Participants of the collaborative care/stepped care arm of the Reducing Inequities in Care of Hypertension: Lifestyle Improvement for Everyone (RICH LIFE) Project, a cluster-randomized trial comparing the effectiveness of enhanced standard of care to a multilevel intervention (collaborative care/stepped care) for improving blood pressure control and reducing disparities, were included. Participants were eligible for referral by their care manager to the Specialist Panel if they continued to have poorly controlled hypertension or had uncontrolled comorbid conditions (eg, diabetes, hyperlipidemia, depression) after 3 months in the RICH LIFE trial. Referred participant cases were discussed remotely with a panel of specialists in internal medicine, cardiology, nephrology, endocrinology, and psychiatry. Qualitative data on the Specialist Panel recommendations and interviews with care managers to understand barriers and facilitators to the intervention were collected. We used available components of the RE-AIM (Reach, Effectiveness, Adoption, Implementation, and Maintenance) framework to examine the impact of the intervention., Results: Of 302 participants in the relevant RICH LIFE arm who were potentially eligible for the Specialist Panel, 19 (6.3%) were referred. The majority were women (53%) and of Black race (84%). Referral reasons included uncontrolled blood pressure, diabetes, and other concerns (eg, chronic kidney disease, life-stressors, medication side effects, and medication nonadherence). Panel recommendations centered on guideline-recommended diagnostic and management algorithms, minimizing intolerable medication side effects and costs, and recommendations for additional referrals. Panel utilization was limited. Barriers reported by care managers were lack of perceived need by clinicians due to redundant specialists, a cumbersome referral process, the remote nature of the panel, and the sensitivity of relaying recommendations back to the primary care physician. Care managers who made panel referrals reported it was overwhelmingly valuable., Conclusion: The use of a Remote Collaborative Specialist Panel was limited but well-received by referring clinicians. With modifications to enhance uptake, the Remote Collaborative Specialist Panel may be a practical care model for addressing some disparities in hypertension and multi-morbidity care., (Copyright © 2024 Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: Neighborhood poverty has been associated with worse outcomes after live donor kidney transplantation (LDKT), and prior work suggests that women with kidney disease may be more susceptible to the negative influence of poverty than men. As such, our goal was to examine whether poverty differentially affects women in influencing LDKT outcomes., Methods: Using data from the Scientific Registry of Transplant Recipients and US Census, we performed multivariable Cox regression to compare outcomes among 18 955 women and 30 887 men who received a first LDKT in 2005-2014 with follow-up through December 31, 2016., Results: Women living in poor (adjusted hazard ratio [aHR], 1.30; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.13-1.50) and middle-income (aHR, 1.26; 95% CI, 1.14-1.40) neighborhoods had higher risk of graft loss than men, but there were no differences in wealthy areas (aHR, 1.07; 95% CI, 0.88-1.29). Women living in wealthy (aHR, 0.71; 95% CI, 0.59-0.87) and middle-income (aHR, 0.82; 95% CI, 0.74-0.92) neighborhoods incurred a survival advantage over men, but there were no statistically significant differences in mortality in poor areas (aHR, 0.85; 95% CI, 0.72-1.01)., Conclusions: Given our findings that poverty is more strongly associated with graft loss in women, targeted efforts are needed to specifically address mechanisms driving these disparities in LDKT outcomes.

Objectives: To determine whether minority trauma patients are more commonly treated at trauma centers (TCs) with worse observed-to-expected (O/E) survival., Background: Racial disparities in survival after traumatic injury have been described. However, the mechanisms that lead to these inequities are not well understood., Methods: Analysis of level I/II TCs included in the National Trauma Data Bank 2007-2010. White, Black, and Hispanic patients 16 years or older sustaining blunt/penetrating injuries with an Injury Severity Score of 9 or more were included. TCs with 50% or more Hispanic or Black patients were classified as predominantly minority TCs. Multivariate logistic regression adjusting for several patient/injury characteristics was used to predict the expected number of deaths for each TC. O/E mortality ratios were then generated and used to rank individual TCs as low (O/E <1), intermediate, or high mortality (O/E >1)., Results: A total of 556,720 patients from 181 TCs were analyzed; 86 TCs (48%) were classified as low mortality, 6 (3%) intermediate, and 89 (49%) as high mortality. More of the predominantly minority TCs [(82% (22/27) vs 44% (67/154)] were classified as high mortality (P < 0.001). Approximately 64% of Black patients (55,673/87,575) were treated at high-mortality TCs compared with 54% Hispanics (32,677/60,761) and 41% Whites (165,494/408,384) (P < 0.001)., Conclusions: Minority trauma patients are clustered at hospitals with significantly higher-than-expected mortality. Black and Hispanic patients treated at low-mortality hospitals have a significantly lower odds of death than similar patients treated at high-mortality hospitals. Differences in TC outcomes and quality of care may partially explain trauma outcomes disparities.

Background: Depression is undertreated in primary care settings. Little research investigates the impact of patient involvement in decisions on guideline-concordant treatment and depression outcomes., Objective: The objective of this study was to determine whether patient involvement in decision-making is associated with guideline-concordant care and improvement in depression symptoms., Design: Prospective cohort study., Setting: Multisite, nationwide randomized clinical trial of quality improvement strategies for depression in primary care., Subjects: Primary care patients with current symptoms and probable depressive disorder., Measurements: Patients rated their involvement in decision-making (IDM) about their care on a 5-point scale from poor to excellent 6 months after entry into the study. Depressive symptoms were measured every 6 months for 2 years using a modified version of the Center for Epidemiologic Studies-Depression (CES-D) scale. We examined probabilities (Pr) of receipt of guideline-concordant care and resolution of depression across IDM groups using multivariate logistic regression models controlling for patient and provider factors., Results: For each 1-point increase in IDM ratings, the probability of patients' report of receiving guideline-concordant care increased 4% to 5% (adjusted Pr 0.31 vs. 0.50 for the lowest and highest IDM ratings, respectively, P < 0.001). Similarly, for each 1-point increase in IDM ratings, the probability of depression resolution increased 2% to 3% (adjusted Pr 0.10 vs. 0.19 for the lowest and highest IDM ratings respectively, P = 0.004)., Conclusions: Depressed patients with higher ratings of involvement in medical decisions have a higher probability of receiving guideline-concordant care and improving their symptoms over an 18-month period. Interventions to increase patient involvement in decision-making may be an important means of improving care for and outcomes of depression.

Objective: We sought to synthesize the findings of studies evaluating interventions to improve the cultural competence of health professionals., Design: This was a systematic literature review and analysis., Methods: We performed electronic and hand searches from 1980 through June 2003 to identify studies that evaluated interventions designed to improve the cultural competence of health professionals. We abstracted and synthesized data from studies that had both a before- and an after-intervention evaluation or had a control group for comparison and graded the strength of the evidence as excellent, good, fair, or poor using predetermined criteria., Main Outcome Measures: We sought evidence of the effectiveness and costs of cultural competence training of health professionals., Results: Thirty-four studies were included in our review. There is excellent evidence that cultural competence training improves the knowledge of health professionals (17 of 19 studies demonstrated a beneficial effect), and good evidence that cultural competence training improves the attitudes and skills of health professionals (21 of 25 studies evaluating attitudes demonstrated a beneficial effect and 14 of 14 studies evaluating skills demonstrated a beneficial effect). There is good evidence that cultural competence training impacts patient satisfaction (3 of 3 studies demonstrated a beneficial effect), poor evidence that cultural competence training impacts patient adherence (although the one study designed to do this demonstrated a beneficial effect), and no studies that have evaluated patient health status outcomes. There is poor evidence to determine the costs of cultural competence training (5 studies included incomplete estimates of costs)., Conclusions: Cultural competence training shows promise as a strategy for improving the knowledge, attitudes, and skills of health professionals. However, evidence that it improves patient adherence to therapy, health outcomes, and equity of services across racial and ethnic groups is lacking. Future research should focus on these outcomes and should determine which teaching methods and content are most effective.

Background: Ethnic minority patients are less likely than white patients to receive guideline-concordant care for depression. It is uncertain whether racial and ethnic differences exist in patient beliefs, attitudes, and preferences for treatment., Methods: A telephone survey was conducted of 829 adult patients (659 non-Hispanic whites, 97 African Americans, 73 Hispanics) recruited from primary care offices across the United States who reported 1 week or more of depressed mood or loss of interest within the past month and who met criteria for Major Depressive Episode in the past year. Within this cohort, we examined differences among African Americans, Hispanics, and whites in acceptability of antidepressant medication and acceptability of individual counseling., Results: African Americans (adjusted OR, 0.30; 95% CI 0.19-0.48) and Hispanics (adjusted OR, 0.44; 95% CI, 0.26-0.76) had lower odds than white persons of finding antidepressant medications acceptable. African Americans had somewhat lower odds (adjusted OR, 0.63; 95% CI, 0.35-1.12), and Hispanics had higher odds (adjusted OR, 3.26; 95% CI, 1.08-9.89) of finding counseling acceptable than white persons. Some negative beliefs regarding treatment were more prevalent among ethnic minorities; however adjustment for these beliefs did not explain differences in acceptability of treatment for depression., Conclusions: African Americans are less likely than white persons to find antidepressant medication acceptable. Hispanics are less likely to find antidepressant medication acceptable, and more likely to find counseling acceptable than white persons. Racial and ethnic differences in beliefs about treatment modalities were found, but did not explain differences in the acceptability of depression treatment. Clinicians should consider patients' cultural and social context when negotiating treatment decisions for depression. Future research should identify other attitudinal barriers to depression care among ethnic minority patients.

Background: Although low rates of cadaveric organ donation have been attributed to potential cadaveric donors' concerns regarding their religious beliefs and mistrust of the health care system, it is unclear whether similar concerns are important to potential living related donors. It is also not known which factors might be most responsible for low rates of cadaveric and living related donation among the general public., Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study of households in Maryland, using a standardized telephone questionnaire, to assess factors associated with willingness to donate cadaveric and living related organs. We compared factors (demographic, cultural, attitudinal, and clinical) related to willingness to donate cadaveric organs with factors related to willingness to donate living related organs. In multivariate analyses, we assessed the independent relation of factors to willingness to donate cadaveric and living related organs, and we assessed the relative importance of these factors in explaining variation in the general public's willingness to donate., Results: Of 385 participants (84% of randomized homes), 254 (66%) were extremely willing to donate to a sibling but only 179 (47%) had designated themselves a cadaveric donor on their drivers' licenses. In bivariate analysis, older age, comorbid conditions, mistrust in hospitals, and concerns about discrimination in hospitals were statistically significantly associated with less willingness to donate living related organs, although African-Americans, older age, lower education, lack of insurance, unemployment, comorbid conditions, and religion/spirituality were associated with less willingness to donate cadaveric organs. After adjusting for potential confounders, only mistrust in hospitals and concerns about discrimination remained strongly and independently associated with 50 to 60% less odds of willingness to donate living related organs [[relative odds [95% confidence intervals (CI)]: 0.4 (0.2-0.7) to 0.5 (0.3-1.0) and 0.4 (0.2-0.9), respectively]] although presence of dependents was associated with 70% higher odds of willingness to donate living related organs [relative odds (95% CI): 1.7 (1.0-3.0)]. In contrast, older age, employment status, religion/spirituality, and mistrust in hospitals were associated with 50 to 90% less odds of willingness to donate living related organs cadaveric organs [relative odds (95% CI): 0.3 (0.1-0.8), 0.4(0.2-0.8), 0.1 (0.1- 0.5) to 0.5 (0.2-0.9), and 0.3 (0.2-0.6), respectively]. Mistrust in hospitals and concerns about the surgical donation procedure contributed most to the variation in willingness to be a living related donor, although race contributed most to the variation in willingness to be a cadaveric donor., Conclusions: Many factors affect the general public's willingness to donate organs, but their relative contribution is different for living related versus cadaveric donation. Efforts to improve organ donation rates should be directed toward factors that are most important in explaining the existing variation in willingness to donate.