Skip to main content
Log in

Parental attitudes toward organ transplantation

  • Brief Report
  • Published:
Pediatric Nephrology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

We investigated parental attitudes toward organ donation by surveying the parents of 106 children attending a general pediatric, cystic fibrosis, hematology or nephrology clinic using a printed questionnaire. Only 64% of parents knew that cessation of brain function is the definition of death. Most people (73%) obtained information about organ transplantation from the mass media and significantly fewer (37%) from medical personnel (P<0.05). Blacks were less likely than whites to express a desire to be living-related and/or cadaveric donors (P<0.05).

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

References

  1. Manninen D, Evans R (1985) Public attitudes and behavior regarding organ donation. JAMA 253: 3111–3115

    Google Scholar 

  2. Kolata G (1983) Organ shortage clouds new transplant era: organs are used from one in ten potential donors; some say legislation is needed to make more organs available. Science 221: 32–33

    Google Scholar 

  3. Groves RM, Kahn RC (1979) Surveys by telephone: a national comparison with personal interviews. Academic Press, New York

    Google Scholar 

  4. People vs Eulo No. 402, New York State Court of Appeals, 30 October 1984

  5. People vs Bonilla No. 402, New York State Court of Appeals, 30 October 1984

  6. Eggers PW (1988) Effect of transplantation of the medicare end-stage renal disease program. N Engl J Med 318: 223–229

    Google Scholar 

  7. Lowe C, Alexander D, Mishkin B (1974) Nontherapeutic research on children: an ethical dilemma. J Pediatr 84: 468–471

    Google Scholar 

  8. Fost N (1977) Children as renal donors. N Engl J Med 296: 363–367

    Google Scholar 

  9. Pear R (1986) Federal panel urges U.S. organ network and transplant aid. New York Times 135: 1, 11, 16 July 1986

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Meisler, S.H., Trachtman, H. Parental attitudes toward organ transplantation. Pediatr Nephrol 3, 86–88 (1989). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00859633

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00859633

Key words

Navigation