Monday, January 23, 2012

Survey on Organ Donation Attitudes Pre-Test

Our survey on organ donations is in very preliminary mode (link here). Would be grateful if people could have a go and make suggestions for improvements either to me or to Clare, or in the comments. Feel free to input random answers. We wont be using the data. Just pre-testing the survey at this stage. We are examining people's understanding of the current consent mechanisms in Ireland and how it influences behaviour related to organ donation.

7 comments:

Tony said...

Here are some quick suggestions for the survey...

Why, in your estimation, have you not discussed organ donation with your next of kin?
don't like to think about death may be worth adding.

Would you be willing to donate your organs to an organ donation service immediately after your death?
More info from including: probably, possibly etc.?

It may be worth asking, do you know your familys wishes re. donating?

Which of the following options do you consider to be most important factors in ensuring that your organs are donated?
- for those willing to donate it may be worth asking which of the ways they would indicate it - to compare to answers here.

If there is a conflict between the wishes of the deceased and the wishes of their family members regarding donation, to whose wishes do you think clinicians should give precedence?
Might be asymmetry here that you could get at e.g. respect individual if doesn't want to donate, respect family if the family don't want donation etc. or if respondent is a believer in donating may be the opposite...

Please indicate the extent to which you would support an organ donation system whereby consent for transplantation is presumed .....
= strongly support to strongly oppose instead of agree

Is it worth asking something about knowledge of benefits of donating e.g. how many patents do you believe benefit from organs donated in ireland each year? or demand, how many people do you believe are on the waiting list for organs?

Also, maybe rather than general donating, which of the following organs would you consider donating....? Maybe its an all or nothing decision but maybe not for some people?

Rob Gillanders said...

Maybe allow "religion prohibits it" and "not medically feasible" answers for "Why, in your estimation, have you not discussed organ donation with your next of kin?"

Michael99 said...

20 minutes might be off-putting, doubt it would take anyone more than 10..

Michael99 said...

Might be worth asking people do they know anyone who has been waiting for an organ, do they think transplant is an effective medical intervention, what their perceived demand-supply is for organs (how likely is person x to get organ y if needed), if they fear organ removal prior to death!

Anonymous said...

Some suggestions:

1. Maybe have a drop down box for the question on year of birth

2. I couldn't get past the country question by saying "Ireland".

3. "Have you ever discussed human organ donation or transplantation with your next of kin (i.e. a close family member of friend)?"

Can a friend be next of kin?

4. "If you would be unwilling to donate the organs of a close family member, what would the main reason be for your refusal?"

Can the question above be left out for those who say no?

5. "Do you know the regulations in Ireland for the donation and transplantation of human organs?"

For those who say no, a link could be provided. This could be done close to the start of the survey; and randomised.

Kevin Denny said...

This video (an extract from Monty Python's "The meaning of life") helpfully illustrates how an organ donation card can be used to facilitate a liver transplant. And without waiting for the donor to die. Neat.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sp-pU8TFsg0

Liam Delaney said...

thanks Tony. Sorry for delay in putting up your comment.