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Living anonymous kidney donation: what does the public think?
M A Landolt1, A J Henderson, W M Barrable
1British Columbia Transplant Society, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.
Transplantation
|July 4, 2001
Summary
A significant minority of British Columbians are willing to become living anonymous donors (LADs), donating a kidney to a stranger. This willingness remained consistent across informed and uninformed conditions in a recent survey.
Area of Science:
- Transplantation research
- Public health policy
- Medical ethics
Background:
- Living organ donation is crucial for augmenting cadaveric donation.
- Current living donation primarily involves genetically or emotionally related donors.
- Previous surveys suggest public willingness for living anonymous donation (LAD).
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess public willingness to become a living anonymous donor (LAD).
- To replicate and expand upon previous findings regarding LAD attitudes.
- To understand public opinion on altruistic kidney donation to strangers.
Main Methods:
- A telephone survey of 500 British Columbia residents was conducted.
- Participants provided demographic information and answered questions on donation attitudes.
- A methodological improvement included an informed condition about living donation before assessing willingness.
Main Results:
- Approximately 28-29% of participants expressed willingness to be LADs.
- No significant difference in willingness was observed between informed and uninformed conditions.
- Willing LADs were more likely to be registered cadaveric donors and hold pro-donation attitudes.
Conclusions:
- The study confirms a significant minority in British Columbia support living anonymous donation.
- Findings increase confidence in the potential for LADs.
- Public willingness for altruistic organ donation to strangers is a key finding.