The four points of organ donation decision-making

Introduction:
A shortage of donor organs contributes to avoidable patient deaths and
burgeoning health care costs. Increasing consent to deceased organ donation
is key to increasing transplantation rates.
Study Objectives:
To identify the major factors that influences a family to agree or decline
deceased organ donation during the decision-making process. The aims
were 1) to identify the key stages and the major influencers' in the decisionmaking process; 2) to determine if hope, deep hope and trust played a
role in the decision, and 3) to explore families perception of their decisionmaking experience.
Methods:
Families that had made a deceased organ donation decision were invited to
participate in a qualitative study conducted utilising an exploratory case study
approach and snowball sampling strategy. Interviews with 22 participants
from 5 donor and 4 non-donor families were transcribed. Themes were
identified, and an eclectic theoretical framework based on Weinstein’s
(1988) Precaution Adoption Process was used to analyse the findings.
Results:
This study found that the decision-making process involves 4 key decision
points influenced by the attitudes and experiences of families regarding
organ donation. Information and communication related to the formation
of hope, deep hope and trust influenced family donation decisions at each
decision point. Decision point 1 relates to community views prior a critical
event. Decision point 2 occurs when families realise that death is inevitable.
Decision point 3 coincides with family and health professional discussions,
and Decision point 4 represents the family's ongoing view.
Conclusion:
It is recommended that further research should be conducted to examine
the alignment and role of hope, deep hope and trust at each of the 4 organ donation decision-points.