Attitudes toward posthumous organ donation and commitment to donate.

Abstract

The medical need for human organs suitable for use as transplants far exceed the supply, and is growing. More favorable attitudes about organ donation would increase people's willingness to sign posthumous donation pledges. But effective educational programs require information about the public's present views. Verbal attitude scales were constructed and administered to 110 adults, resulting in reliable measurement of two independent dimensions, prodonation and antidonation (r = .003). Cluster analysis of the instrument revealed that the positive dimension involves belief in the humanitarian benefits of organ donation and feelings of pride experienced by the donor. The negative dimension reflects fears of body mutilation and of receiving inadequate medical treatment when one's life is at risk. Pro and anti scores in combination predicted willingness to sign a donor card. A 2 X 2 analysis of variance (High-Low Positive X High-Low Negative) revealed significant main effects for both positive and negative attitude. Also, a significant interaction effect was obtained. Those subjects who had both strong positive attitudes and weak negative attitudes were especially willing to sign donor cards. Suggestions for designing educational campaigns to promote organ donation are offered.

Cited by (6)

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   Cacioppo, John T., Berntson, Gary G. · 1994 · Psychological Bulletin
2. The affect system has parallel and integrative processing components: Form follows function.
   Cacioppo, John T., Gardner, Wendi L., Berntson, Gary G. · 1999 · Journal of Personality and Social Psychology
3. Organ Donation and Utilization in the United States, 1996–2005
   Punch, J.D., Hayes, D.H., LaPorte, F.B., McBride, V., Seely, M.S. · 2007 · American Journal of Transplantation
4. Eliciting Affect Using the International Affective Picture System: Trajectories through Evaluative Space
   Ito, Tiffany A., Cacioppo, John T., Lang, Peter J. · 1998 · Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin
5. Attitudinal ambivalence
   Jonas, Klaus, Broemer, Philip, Diehl, Michael · 2000 · European Review of Social Psychology

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