title: The negative impact of death anxiety on self-efficacy and willingness to donate organs among Chinese adults.
abstract: Chinese people are consistently reported to be less likely to commit to posthumous organ donation than the Westerners. This study aims at investigating how death anxiety may hinder them from expressing their willingness to donate organs. Among 290 Hong Kong Chinese adults (age plus or minus 25 years), a higher level of death anxiety was associated with a greater expectation of medical neglect and a lower level of self-efficacy. Moreover, a higher level of death anxiety was also correlated with a lower likelihood of donor card signing and discussion of organ donation. The results of regression analyses suggested a mediating role of self-efficacy on the relationship between death anxiety and these behaviors. That is, death anxiety, by lowering one's perceived self-efficacy, reduces his/her likelihood to sign the donor card or to tell his/her donation decision. Findings suggest that death education program should be included in promotion campaigns for Chinese adults.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Faculty of Social Sciences & Humanities, University of Macau, Macao. anisewu@umac.mo
authors.forename: Anise M S
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Catherine So-Kum
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Tang
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001007:Anxiety / Q000523:psychology*; D001293:Attitude to Death / Q000208:ethnology; D002681:China / Q000208:ethnology; D003657:Decision Making; D004522:Educational Status; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006723:Hong Kong; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D020377:Self Efficacy; D012961:Sociology; D014019:Tissue Donors / Q000523:psychology*; D009927:Tissue and Organ Procurement