Organ and tissue donationCommunication Between Organ Donor Families and Recipients: A Definitely Controversial Subject
Section snippets
Patients and Methods
The present study investigated the current situation of communication between ODF and RE from the viewpoint of renal transplant patients (n = 50) and awaiting renal transplant patients (n = 50) at our University Hospital, ODF from OPO/Ribeirão Preto (n = 10), physicians from 25 Brazilian transplant centers (n = 50), as well as the opinion of the general population of a Brazilian city with 500,000 inhabitants (n = 100).
This work was developed through field research in which a specific
Results
The demographic characteristics of the groups are shown in Table 1. The results revealed that the majority of the transplanted patients (78%) and waiting patients (86%) would like to meet the ODF, despite the possible risk of being asked some kind of financial assistance later on. The main motivation has been the desire to express their gratitude for receiving the organ and for having opportunity of a new life as well as getting information about the organ origin with ODF. The majority of the
Discussion
Organ donation is a conceptually complex subject, since human tissues and organs are extremely valuable to the recipient, the donor, and the ODF. In a study of 242 ODF, Batten and Prottas2 realized that the most serious problem concerning tissue and organ donation is the lack of answers (return) from the recipients. Lewino et al3 reported that the majority of the ODF and RE wish to have a direct contact.
Considering the wish of ODF to check the benefits of the transplant, as well as the desire
References (4)
Direct contact between donor families and recipients: crisis or consolation?
J Transpl Coord
(1998)- et al.
Kind strangers: the families of organ donors
Health Aff
(1987)
Cited by (18)
Standing on Both Sides: Analysis of a Transplant Coordinator's Ethical Position Between the Recipient and the Donor's Family
2022, Transplantation ProceedingsCitation Excerpt :A survey of liver recipients in Belgium [36], where the law requires anonymity of both sides and prohibits contact, found that as many as 90% of the recipients expressed dissatisfaction at being denied the opportunity to thank their benefactor. Conversely, Ono et al [17] found that 74% of transplant coordinators were against contact, motivated by concern for the turbulent emotions it evoked. However, donor families and recipients reject this attitude, claiming that the coordinator's duty is to mediate for them; this means, at the least, providing anonymous information about the other side, and may even stretch to arranging face-to-face meetings, and that such mediation is essential for the success of their interactions [37,38].
Canadian Society of Transplantation Members' Views on Anonymity in Organ Donation and Transplantation
2015, Transplantation ProceedingsCitation Excerpt :Whereas 71% felt that organ recipients and donor families should only communicate anonymously, 47% felt that identifying information could be included in correspondence between consenting recipients and donor families. Two previous studies have examined physicians' views on anonymity [8,17]. In a Brazilian study on cadaveric kidney donation, 74% of physicians favored anonymity, citing emotional and/or psychological setbacks if communication were permitted [8].
The experiences of family members of deceased organ donors and suggestions to improve the donation process: a qualitative study
2022, CMAJ. Canadian Medical Association JournalCitation Excerpt :Family members who want but do not receive information about the transplantation outcomes experience more stress throughout their grief as well as uncertainty about their decision to donate.35 Our study confirms that for some family members, a lack of information about transplantation outcomes added stress to their bereavement and grief.30,31 We did not evaluate whether there were differences in the views of subgroups, such as family members of pediatric compared with adult donors, and we did not approach families who decided not to agree to donation.
Living with a heart transplant: A phenomenological study
2014, Progress in TransplantationAnonymity in Kidney Paired Donation: A Systematic Review of Reasons
2023, Transplant International
Viviane C. Ono received a research grant from Bioethics Center of the CREMESP. This research was supported by FAEPA.