Cross-cultural donation and donation interview.

Area of Science:

• Transplantation Science
• Medical Sociology
• Cross-cultural Communication

Background:

• Organ donation interviews face challenges due to increasing international donor diversity.
• Language and cultural differences create significant communication barriers.
• Understanding donor family beliefs is crucial for effective intervention strategies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the impact of cultural and linguistic mediators on organ donation consent rates.
• To overcome language and cultural barriers in interviews with diverse donor families.
• To enhance communication strategies for organ donation professionals.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of interviews with families of 90 organ donors from 26 nationalities over 7 years.
• Implementation of translators and cultural mediators with relevant linguistic and cultural expertise.
• Training health professionals in culturally sensitive interview techniques and providing translated information.

Main Results:

• Introduction of mediators led to a substantial decrease in family refusal rates, from 40% to 7.1%.
• The study involved donors from diverse regions including the European Union, Latin America, Eastern Europe, and North Africa.
• Donor demographics included an average age of 54.16 years, with 42% females and 58% males.

Conclusions:

• Cultural and linguistic mediators are highly effective in reducing family refusal for organ donation.
• This intervention strategy successfully bridges cultural and communication gaps, improving consent.
• Implementing trained mediators enhances the organ donation process in multicultural settings.