SECTION VI
POTENTIAL BARRIERS TO DONATION
"Organ donation is against your religion"
(n=6,127)
Figure 3.
- Religious barriers to organ donation do not appear to be
widespread. Black and Hispanic respondents are much more likely to
report that organ donation is against their religion (14% and 13%
agree, respectively) than are white respondents (4% agree).
- There were no substanstial differences among major religious
groups in the percent agreement with this statement (Catholics=5%;
Baptists=5%; ``Christian''=4%; Other Protestant=4%). However,
Catholics expressed significantly greater uncertainity (11% don't
know) compared to the full sample (6%).
Potential Barriers to Donation 31
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
TABLE 23
People Your Age Are Too Old To Donate Organs
% Strongly % Disagree/ %
Agree/ Strongly Don't Mean
Agree Disagree Know Score*
Total (n=6,127) 14% 80% 5% 1.89
Gender
Male (n=2,589) 13% 81% 6% 1.90
Female (n=3,538) 16 79 5 1.88
Age
18-24 (n=695) 4% 96% - 1.71
25-34 (n=1,442) 3 95 2% 1.62
35-44 (n=1,465) 6 93 1 1.70
45-54 (n=889) 8 89 3 1.76
55+ (n=1,566) 34 53 13 2.37
Education
High school or less (n=2,377)20% 74% 5% 2.05
Some college (n=1,763) 8 88 5 1.68
College Graduate (n=1,922) 5 88 6 1.66
Race/Ethnicity
White (n=4,816) 14% 80% 5% 1.87
Black (n=722) 16 78 6 2.02
Hispanic (n=741) 22 71 7 2.03
* 4=strongly agree, 3=agree, 2=disagree, 1=strongly disagree
- The small proportion of Americans who believe they are too old to
donate their organs was primarily found among those aged 55 and
older.
32 Potential Barriers to Donation
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
"Doctors will do everything they can to save a person's life before that
person's organs are removed for transplant."
(n=6,127)
Figure 4.
Nearly nine in ten Americans believe doctors use all their resources
to save a person before deciding to pursue organ retrieval. A higher
percentage of black respondents (11%) than white (5%) or Hispanic
(6%) respondents believe doctors may not do everything possible
before removing organs for transplantation.
Potential Barriers to Donation 33
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
TABLE 24
It is Possible For a Brain Dead Person To Recover From His/Her Injuries
% Strongly% Disagree/ %
Agree/ Strongly Don't Mean
Agree Disagree Know Score*
Total (n=6,127) 21% 63% 16% 2.06
Gender
Male (n=2,589) 22% 64% 15% 2.10
Female (n=3,538) 21 63 17 2.02
Age
18-24 (n=695) 28% 52% 19% 2.29
25-34 (n=1,442) 25 60 15 2.12
35-44 (n=1,465) 20 65 15 2.03
45-54 (n=889) 16 71 13 1.89
55+ (n=1,566) 18 64 17 2.04
Education
High school or less (n=2,377) 24% 60% 17% 2.13
Some college (n=1,763) 19 67 14 1.99
College Graduate (n=1,922) 15 70 15 1.94
Race/Ethnicity
White (n=4,816) 19% 65% 16% 2.02
Black (n=722) 33 55 12 2.31
Hispanic (n=741) 29 54 17 2.18
Support of Organ Donation
Support (n=5,247) 20% 65% 15% 2.03
Oppose (n=366) 33 51 15 2.25
* 4=strongly agree, 3=agree, 2=disagree, l=strongly disagree
- Nearly two-thirds of Americans recognize that a brain dead person
cannot recover from his or her injuries. However, more than one in
five (21%) appear to believe there is some hope of recovery, and an
additional 16% are unsure. Educational efforts regarding the
implications of "brain death" might be useful in increasing support
for organ donation since 33% of those opposed to organ donation in
general believe that it is possible for a brain dead person to
recover.
- Nonwhite respondents are more inclined than are white respondents
to believe that brain death is reversible.
34 Potential Barriers to Donation
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
TABLE 25
People Who Choose to Donate A Family Member's Organs
End Up Paying Extra Medical Bills
% Strongly % Disagree/ %
Agree/ Strongly Don't Mean
Agree Disagree Know Score*
Total (n=6,127) 13% 57% 29% 2.03
Gender
Male (n=2,589) 15% 59% 26% 2.08
Female (n=3,538) 11 56 33 1.98
Age
18-24 (n=695) 16% 63% 21% 2.04
25-34 (n=1,442) 10 64 26 1.96
35-44 (n=1,465) 9 60 30 1.98
45-54 (n=889) 12 56 32 2.00
55+ (n=1,566) 16 50 33 2.11
Education
High school or less (n=2,377)15% 54% 31% 2.09
Some college (n=1,763) 10 60 28 1.98
College Graduate (n=1,922) 8 64 27 1.90
Race/Ethnicity
White (n=4,816) 12% 58% 30% 2.00
Black (n=722) 19 55 26 2.18
Hispanic (n=741) 22 49 29 2.21
* 4=strongly agree, 3=agree, 2=disagree, l=strongly disagree
- Although the majority of respondents recognize that donor families
are not required to pay extra medical bills associated with the
donation, there is a substantial amount of uncertainty surrounding
this issue. Nearly one in three respondents (29%) indicate that they
did not know whether or not a donor's family must pay extra medical
bills.
- Nonwhite respondents reflect a higher level of misinformation than
white respondents regarding responsibility for the cost of organ
retrieval. Approximately one-fifth of nonwhites believe the donor's
family pays extra medical costs associated with donation.
Potential Barriers to Donation 35
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
TABLE 26
It is Impossible to Have a Regular Funeral Service Following Organ Donation
% Strongly% Disagree/ %
Agree/ Strongly Don't Mean
Agree Disagree Know Score*
Total (n=6,127) 13% 81% 6% 1.86
Gender
Male (n=2,589) 14% 80% 6% 1.92
Female (n=3,538) 13 81 6 1.80
Age
18-24 (n=695) 17% 77% 5% 1.99
25-34 (n=1,442) 14 82 4 1.83
35-44 (n=1,465) 12 85 3 1.79
45-54 (n=889) 11 84 6 1.77
55+ (n=1,566) 14 77 9 1.92
Education
High school or less (n=2,377) 15% 78% 7% 1.93
Some college (n=1,763) 11 84 5 1.76
College Graduate (n=1,922) 10 86 4 1.75
Race/Ethnicity
White (n=4,816) 13% 81% 6% 1.83
Black (n=722) 14 78 8 2.01
Hispanic (n=741) 25 64 11 2.12
* 4=strongly agree, 3=agree, 2=disagree, l=strongly disagree
- More than four in five Americans believe that it is possible to
have a "regular" funeral service for an organ donor. Hispanics are
more likely to believe organ donation prevents having a "regular"
funeral service.
36 Potential Barriers to Donation
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
TABLE 27
It is Important for a Person's Body To Have All of Its Parts When It
Is Buried
% Strongly % Disagree/ %
Agree/ Strongly Don't Mean
Agree Disagree Know Score*
Total (n=6,127) 17% 78% 4% 1.97
Gender
Male (n=2,589) 19% 77% 4% 2.02
Female (n=3,538) 16 79 5 1.93
Age
18-24 (n=695) 25% 70% 5% 2.16
25-34 (n=1,442) 17 79 4 1.96
35-44 (n=1,465) 14 84 2 1.89
45-54 (n=889) 8 89 3 1.76
55+ (n=1,566) 21 72 6 2.06
Education
High school or less (n=2,377) 24% 71% 5% 2.12
Some college (n=1,763) 9 87 3 1.80
College Graduate (n=1,922) 7 90 3 1.72
Race/Ethnicity
White (n=4,816) 14% 82% 4% 1.90
Black (n=722) 38 56 6 2.42
Hispanic (n=741) 38 56 6 2.35
Support of Organ Donation
Support (n=5,247) 12% 84% 3% 1.87
Oppose (n=366) 62 31 7 2.90
* 4=strongly agree, 3=agree, 2=disagree, l=strongly disagree
- The results of Table 27 suggest that opposition to organ donation
may be tied to a belief that a person's body should be buried
"intact." Although exact causality can not be established from this
data, the substantial difference in opinion between supporters and
non-supporters of organ donation should be noted.
- Nonwhite respondents are significantly more likely to place
importance on a person's body being intact at the time of burial
than are white respondents.
Potential Barriers to Donation 37
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
TABLE 28
You Are Worried That a Loved One's Body Would be Disfigured
if Their Organs Were Donated
% Strongly % Disagree/ %
Agree/ Strongly Don't Mean
Agree Disagree Know Score*
Total (n=6,127) 19% 74% 8% 2.01
Gender
Male (n=2,589) 19% 73% 8% 2.05
Female (n=3,538) 18 74 7 1.98
Age
18-24 (n=695) 24% 66% 10% 2.17
25-34 (n=1,442) 16 76 7 1.96
35-44 (n=1,465) 13 79 8 1.91
45-54 (n=889) 17 77 6 1.97
55+ (n=1,566) 22 70 8 2.08
Education
High school or less (n=2,377) 23% 69% 7% 2.12
Some college (n=1,763) 13 79 8 1.90
College Graduate (n=1,922) 11 81 9 1.82
Race/Ethnicity
White (n=4,816) 17% 75% 7% 1.98
Black (n=722) 25 67 8 2.16
Hispanic (n=741) 29 62 8 2.22
Support of Organ Donation
Support (n=5,247) 16% 76% 8% 1.96
Oppose (n=366) 31 62 7 2.33
* 4=strongly agree, 3=agree, 2=disagree, l=strongly disagree
- There is some concern about disfigurement associated with organ
retrieval, although the majority of respondents indicate they are
not concerned about this aspect of organ donation. This concern is
seen largely at the extreme ends of the age range (18-24 and 55+) as
well as among those who are less educated, Hispanics and black
respondents.
38 Potential Barriers to Donation
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
TABLE 29
Given Equal Need, a Poor Person Has as Good a Chance as a Rich Person of
Getting an Organ Transplant
% Strongly % Disagree/ %
Agree/ Strongly Don't Mean
Agree Disagree Know Score*
Total (n=6,127) 35% 58% 8% 2.28
Gender
Male (n=2,589) 32% 61% 7% 2.24
Female (n=3,538) 37 55 8 2.32
Age
18-24 (n=695) 47% 51% 2% 2.48
25-34 (n=1,442) 36 59 6 2.28
35-44 (n=1,465) 34 57 9 2.30
45-54 (n=889) 26 70 4 2.07
55+ (n=1,566) 33 55 12 2.30
Education
High school or less (n=2,377) 37% 54% 9% 2.33
Some college (n=1,763) 33 62 4 2.23
College Graduate (n=1,922) 29 63 8 2.22
Race/Ethnicity
White (n=4,816) 34% 58% 8% 2.27
Black (n=722) 38 58 5 2.28
Hispanic (n=741) 48 47 5 2.42
Support for Organ Donation
Support (n=5,247) 34% 59% 7% 2.28
Oppose (n=366) 42 51 8 2.39
* 4=strongly agree, 3=agree, 2=disagree, l=strongly disagree
- There appears to be a fairly strong perception that income may
impact whether or not a person receives a needed transplant. More
than half of Americans (58%) disagree that a poor person has as good
a chance as a rich person of receiving an organ. This finding is
substantiated by the results of Table 31 which reflect the fact that
more than one-third of Americans believe organs are available for
purchase on the black market.
- Hispanic respondents are more likely than white or black
respondents to believe economic status does not interfere with a
person's chances of getting an organ transplant.
Potential Barriers to Donation 39
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
TABLE 30
Racial Discrimination Prevents Minority Patients From Receiving The Organ
Transplants They Need
% Strongly % Disagree/ %
Agree/ Strongly Don't Mean
Agree Disagree Know Score*
Total (n=6,127) 28% 52% 20% 2.27
Gender
Male (n=2,589) 28% 53% 19% 2.27
Female (n=3,538) 28 51 21 2.26
Age
18-24 (n=695) 34% 51% 15% 2.30
25-34 (n=1,442) 28 57 15 2.28
3544 (n=1,465) 27 50 23 2.24
45-54 (n=889) 26 52 22 2.29
55+ (n=1,566) 27 50 23 2.25
Education
High school or less (n=2,377) 29% 52% 19% 2.28
Some college (n=1,763) 26 51 22 2.25
College Graduate (n=1,922) 26 51 22 2.25
Race/Ethnicity
White (n=4,816) 26% 52% 22% 2.24
Black (n=722) 38 49 13 2.42
Hispanic (n=741) 37 48 15 2.38
Support for Organ Donation
Support (n=5,247) 27% 52% 21% 2.25
Oppose (n=366) 30 57 14 2.31
* 4=strongly agree, 3=agree, 2=disagree, 1=strongly disagree
- Slightly more than one-quarter of Americans believe that racial
discrimination interferes with minority patients receiving needed
organ transplants. Nonwhite respondents are more likely than white
respondents to agree that failure to receive a needed transplant may
be racially motivated.
40 Potential Barriers to Donation
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
TABLE 31
Organs For Transplant Can be Bought and Sold on the Black Market in The U.S.
% Strongly % Disagree/ %
Agree/ Strongly Don't Mean
Agree Disagree Know Score*
Total (n=6,127) 34% 41% 25% 2.38
Gender
Male (n=2,589) 39% 40% 21% 2.44
Female (n=3,538) 30 43 28 2.32
Age
18-24 (n=695) 31% 52% 17% 2.24
25-34 (n=1,442) 36 42 22 2.40
35-44 (n=1,465) 34 43 23 2.38
45-54 (n=889) 42 37 21 2.44
55+ (n=1,566) 30 38 32 2.39
Education
High school or less (n=2,377) 32% 43% 25% 2.34
Some college (n=1,763) 39 38 23 2.45
College Graduate (n=1,922) 34 41 24 2.38
Race/Ethnicity
White (n=4,816) 34% 40% 25% 2.38
Black (n=722) 32 48 20 2.40
Hispanic (n=741) 33 47 21 2.32
Support for Organ Donation
Support (n=5,247) 34% 41% 24% 2.38
Oppose (n=366) 33 46 21 2.35
* 4=strongly agree, 3=agree, 2=disagree, 1=strongly disagree
- More than one-third of Americans believe that organs can be bought
and sold on the black market in the United States. An additional one
in four are unsure whether or not this is possible.
Potential Barriers to Donation 41
Next section