Attitude and personal characteristics as predictors for registration to organ donation in Saudi Arabia: A binary...

The registration of future organ donors offers hope to thousands of individuals and supports the mission of the Saudi Center for Organ Transplantation (SCOT). Despite the availability of the Tawakkalna app (a national digital platform designed to simplify donor registration), actual donation rates in Saudi Arabia remain low. Understanding the personal and attitudinal factors that influence registration is crucial to bridging the gap between willingness and behavior.

This study aims to investigate the relationship between attitudes toward organ donation and seven personal characteristics that influence registration behaviors for posthumous organ donation (age, gender, marital status, education, employment, smoking status, and comorbid conditions) using the Tawakkalna app in the Western region of Saudi Arabia.

A quantitative approach with a cross-sectional design was employed to achieve the study's objectives. A total of 1,482 respondents participated in an online survey conducted through convenience sampling. A logistic regression model through SPSS version 25 was employed to compare factors associated with registration behaviors for posthumous organ donation.

The study found that the registration rate for posthumous organ donation was 26%, Individuals with higher attitude scores were significantly more likely to register as organ donors (p < 0.001, OR = 2.760, 95% CI: 2.262-3.368). Younger participants, non-smokers, and those without comorbid conditions also showed higher odds of registration (all p < 0.05). In contrast, factors such as gender, education level, marital status, and employment status did not show a significant relationship.

Findings highlight that positive attitudes, younger age, and better health status are key determinants of organ donation registration through digital platforms. The results underscore that technological accessibility alone does not guarantee engagement; behavioral and health-related factors remain critical. Posthumous organ donation is a controversial topic within the Muslim context. The findings could be valuable for policymakers striving to increase organ donation registration rates and can help address gaps in the current literature on this subject. These insights can inform targeted awareness campaigns, culturally aligned behavioral interventions, and digital health policies aimed at enhancing donor registration rates and closing the attitude-behavior gap in Saudi Arabia.