Organ donation attitudes and general self-efficacy: exploratory views from a rural primary care setting.

INTRODUCTION

Behavioral determinants can enable or hinder motivation towards registration and donorship and, subsequently, action or inertia towards organ donation. Nevertheless, there is limited information about the role of self-efficacy in relation to organ donation awareness and presumed consent among individuals and their families. The aim of this study was to explore knowledge, attitudes and general self-efficacy as behavioral determinants for organ donation among rural primary care attendants, in order to tailor awareness strategies for reversing inertia within an opt-out system.

METHODS

This was a prospective face-to-face survey during regularly scheduled appointments of 203 attendants at a rural primary care unit in northern Greece. Responses to a 12-item adapted 'Organ donation awareness' questionnaire measuring knowledge, attitudes and awareness were related to participants' General Self-Efficacy (GSE) Scale score. Hierarchical modelling of a multiple linear regression model was adopted with GSE score added.

RESULTS

About one-third of respondents (34.0%) had discussed presumed consent with a partner, family member or friend. More than half (54.2%) were concerned that donated organs might be used without consent for other purposes, such as medical research. A total of 30% found organ donation unacceptable because of religious beliefs. Organ donation awareness was not influenced by respondents' specific characteristics, but was significantly related to the GSE score (standard β=0.155, p=0.033).

CONCLUSION

Overall, organ donation perceptions among rural primary care recipients were determined by knowledge of the presumed consent procurement system, pre-conceptions, religious beliefs, altruism and GSE scores. The association of self-efficacy with raised awareness could potentially explain the gap between high intent to consent as a donor and subsequent lack of follow-up action. Further comparative research across behavioral determinants between rural/urban groups is needed in order to tailor awareness strategies suitable for an opt-out system.