title: Pediatric organ donation: what factors most influence parents' donation decisions?
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To identify factors that influence parents' decisions when asked to donate a deceased child's organs.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cross-sectional design with data collection via structured telephone interviews.
  
  
  METHODS
  One organ procurement organization in the Southeastern United States.
  
  
  METHODS
  Seventy-four parents (49 donors, 25 nondonors) of donor-eligible deceased children who were previously approached by coordinators from one organ procurement organization in the southeastern United States.
  
  
  METHODS
  None.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Multivariate analyses showed that organ donation was more likely when the parent was a registered organ donor (odds ratio [OR] = 1.4, confidence interval [CI] = 1.1, 2.7), the parent had favorable organ donation beliefs (OR = 5.5, CI = 2.7, 12.3), the parent was exposed to organ donation information before the child's death (OR = 2.6, CI = 1.7, 10.3), a member of the child's healthcare team first mentioned organ donation (OR = 1.4, CI = 1.2, 3.7), the requestor was perceived as sensitive to the family's needs (OR = 0.4, CI = 0.2, 0.7), the family had sufficient time to discuss donation (OR = 5.2, CI = 1.4, 11.6), and family members were in agreement about donation (OR = 2.8, CI = 1.3, 5.2).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study identifies several modifiable variables that influence the donation decision-making process for parents. Strategies to facilitate targeted organ donation education and higher consent rates are discussed.
authors.affiliation: Transplant Center, Department of Psychiatry, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA, USA. jrrodrig@bidmc.harvard.edu
authors.forename: James R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Rodrigue
authors.forename: Danielle L
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: Cornell
authors.forename: Richard J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Howard
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003657:Decision Making; D005260:Female; D006776:Hospitals, Pediatric; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010290:Parents / Q000523:psychology*; D015144:Southeastern United States; D009927:Tissue and Organ Procurement