British women's attitudes towards oocyte donation: ethnic differences and altruism.
OBJECTIVE
This study assessed the importance of altruism and willingness to donate oocytes in British Asian and Caucasian samples. The Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB) was used to test the importance of attitudes towards oocyte donation, normative and control beliefs to attitudes to donate oocytes.


METHODS
One hundred and one participants (55% Asian, 45% Caucasian) completed questionnaires measuring altruism and attitudes to Oocyte donation. There were no socio-demographic differences between ethnic groups.


RESULTS
Few women were willing to donate oocytes, Asian women were least likely to donate oocytes, and altruism was not related to willingness to donate. Forty-one participants considered themselves 'possible' oocyte donors and 54 as definite 'non' donors. Possible donors reported significantly more positive attitudes towards egg donation; asking women to donate under various circumstances; to the consequences of donating their eggs; positively experiencing egg donation and to factors that would induce women to donate. Subjective norms and behavioural control also influenced intention to donate.


CONCLUSIONS
A number of components of the TPB were able to predict possible oocyte donation, and non-oocyte donation.


CONCLUSIONS
This study provides some empirical support for specific factors influencing cultural differences in gamete donation in the UK. A future culturally appropriate targeted approach to donation education could redress the present imbalance in supply and demand of gametes in infertility treatment.
Purewal
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School of Life and Health Sciences, Aston University, Aston Triangle, Birmingham B4 7ET, UK.
van den Akker
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OB
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000533:Altruism; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001208:Asia / Q000208:ethnology; D001294:Attitude to Health / Q000208:ethnology*; D003431:Cross-Cultural Comparison; D018864:Cultural Diversity; D004522:Educational Status; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D007389:Internal-External Control; D015404:Nursing Methodology Research; D009790:Occupations; D018587:Oocyte Donation / Q000941:ethics / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence / Q000523:psychology*; D011582:Psychological Theory; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012069:Religion and Psychology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D006113:United Kingdom; D044465:White People / Q000193:education / Q000208:ethnology*; D014930:Women / Q000193:education / Q000523:psychology*