The study sheds light on public attitudes regarding transplant allocation

It has never been easier to become an organ donor. Registration is available online when renewing a driving license or, for iPhone users, via the application.

Despite this, people who desperately need transplants significantly exceed the available organs. Every eight minutes, someone in the United States is added to the waiting list and every day 17 people in the United States die, waiting for a transplant.

“Given the stunning need, we were interested in whether Americans consider some recipients more deserving than others based on the reason for the need for transplantation and whether the race or ethnic origin play a role,” said Dr. Simon F. Haeder, analyst for health policy at Texas a & m University School of Public Health School Of Public Health School.

Haeder said that research on this subject is rare and is limited in terms of organ and behaviors considered. This study is comprehensive and is the first to assess organs failure facilitated by injuries in the workplace (such as exposure to coal dust, which contributes to black lung disease) and mental health factors (such as a disorder associated with alcohol use).

In their study, Haeder and a colleague from Utah Valley University surveyed 4177 adult American citizens in the United States from March 18 to April 18, 2022. Participants donated opinions on four scenarios in which people with clear life circumstances and names that were racial/ethnic appeared.

The person in the first scenario had a “genetic condition that destroyed his kidneys” and required kidney transplantation. The second “he worked in a coal mine all his life” and needed a lung transplant due to black lung disease. The third was “very sick with Covid-19”, he was not vaccinated against Covid-19 and needed lung transplantation. And the fourth had a disorder of alcohol consumption and needed a liver transplant.

In order to insight into the influence of ethnic and ethnic origin, scientists used identifiable names that were initially tested in another study: Ronny Nielsen (White), Deshawn Washington (Black), Luis Hernandez (Latinos) and Yang Chen (Asian).

After seeing all four scenarios, the respondents used the five -point Likert scale, from “definitely yes” to “definitely not” to indicate whether the characters should qualify for transplantation. They also answered survey questions that assessed their political ideologies (liberal or conservative) and racial reluctance.

The comparison of the expected differences in the differences revealed that society is considering the life circumstances of potential recipients of the organs, but not their race or ethnic origin.

“Respondents basically supported a person dealing with black lung disease, and then a person with kidney disease and a Covid-19 patient, and finally a person dealing with alcohol consumption,” said Haeder.

The audience generally establishes a clear ranking of potential transplant candidates based on the circumstances that led to their needs of the transplant. The most important findings were significant support for people dealing with black lung disease, which often exceeded all other people, and support for people with genetic kidney disease compared to both people dealing with Covid-19 and an alcohol consumption disorder. “

Dr Simon F. Haeder, Health Policy analyst at Texas A&M University School of Public Health

Haeder said that liberals and respondents low in racial injuries basically did not show significant differences between people involved in alcohol consumption and unvaccinated Covid-19 patient, while conservatives and people with high racial injuries.

“One discovery that stood out with people dealing with alcohol consumption disorders,” said Haeder. “While this condition is accepted as a disease, people with this disorder have been consistently found that they have the least deserve a transplant in our study, which indicates a persistent stigma.”

He said that the lack of arrangements related to racial and ethnic differences was also worthy of attention, noting that in cases in which the differences were identified, they seemed to be a bit favored by racial and ethnic minorities.

“The greater question here is whether and how to consider public attitudes in transplant assignments,” said Haeder. “On the one hand, a better adaptation of allocation decisions to public opinion can lead more people to become donors, but on the other hand, organs deficiency means that the rules of their use are extremely important.”

Haeder said that the results of the study can lead to a greater possibility to increase the number of transplant organs or to develop innovative approaches to organs.