Public opinion of organ donation: a survey in Iran

The objective of this study was to assess the views of Tehran citizens in regard to donating their organs in case of brain death.

In this cross-sectional study, conducted between February 2009 and November 2010, two interviewers contacted 1379 people through random digit dialing for phone interviews. Phone calls were made between 6 and 9 pmon a workday, and those reaching companies or organizations were excluded. The interviewee was selected randomly from among the household members, and those 18 yr and older were included in the study.

Of the 1379 people eligible for entering the study, 706 consented to have the interview (response rate = 51%). Among the respondents, 84.6% were willing to donate. Of these, 94.6% were willing to complete a donor card as well, but only 10.7% of them already had one.

There should be simple processes for the public to declare their decision about organ donation in case of brain death. People should be encouraged to communicate their wishes with others so that family members can decide about their organ donation more easily.