1. Individual readiness for transplantation medicine of laypersons and the number of deceased organ donors: a cross-sectional online survey in Japan, South Korea and Taiwan.
- Author
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Asai T, Taniguchi Y, and Tsukata Y
- Subjects
- Adolescent, Adult, Aged, Cross-Sectional Studies, Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice, Humans, Japan, Middle Aged, Republic of Korea, Surveys and Questionnaires, Taiwan, Young Adult, Tissue Donors, Tissue and Organ Procurement
- Abstract
Objectives: The gap between the numbers of organ donors and recipients is a common problem worldwide. This study was designed to investigate the importance of 'individual readiness', a here introduced novel concept in transplantation medicine and a measure of positive attitudes towards organ donation and transplantation., Design: A cross-sectional online survey was used to collect the research data., Participants: The participants were recruited by a Japanese research company and affiliates in South Korea and Taiwan and fulfilled the following criteria: (1) laypersons aged 18-75 years, (2) residents of the countries and (3) understood the questions in their native languages., Primary Outcome Measures: The survey investigated the interest and attitude of individuals regarding transplantation medicine by asking multiple choice questions. Based on answers concerning attitude, a positive group was identified as willing to be organ donors and recipients, and a non-positive group was identified as unwilling to be donors and recipients. The ratio between the positive and non-positive group, the P/N ratio, was introduced as an index of individual readiness., Results: 1500 samples were included in this analysis. Individuals with interest agreed more with statements on organ donation than those without interest, and the P/N ratio per country was compatible with the actual deceased organ donors rate per million population (ADODR)., Conclusions: Interest in transplantation medicine was associated with positive attitudes, and positive attitudes were associated with a higher ADODR. These results support that individual readiness is an important determinant for the number of donors. The P/N ratio can be used as an index to assess individual readiness in organ transplantation, at least in countries with minor to moderate popularisation. Further studies of individual readiness using the P/N ratio should be undertaken to develop policies and initiatives for increasing organ donations., Competing Interests: Competing interests: None declared., (© Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2022. Re-use permitted under CC BY-NC. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ.)
- Published
- 2022
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