A peer-to-peer campaign to promote organ donation among racially diverse college students in New York City.
OBJECTIVE
Due to the documented disparities in organ transplantation, individuals from racially diverse backgrounds are encouraged to register as donors and communicate their donation intentions to family. The present study reports an intervention aimed at addressing students' fears and misconceptions related to organ transplantation on college campuses with racially diverse student enrollments. The intervention uses peer-to-peer campaigns at colleges in New York City in an attempt to increase declarations of intent to donate and to educate students about transplantation.


METHODS
Six campuses in the New York City area participated in the intervention. Students participating in the college campaign intervention were educated about donation through active learning methods and implemented campus-wide campaigns to recruit fellow students as donors.


RESULTS
Student campaigners reported increases in topic salience and self-efficacy from precampaign to postcampaign activities. In addition, rates of donor registration and family communication improved over time. Across 6 campuses, campaigners were able to recruit 1019 students as registered donors.


CONCLUSIONS
Participation in the campaign course increases students' vested interest in donation and has proven effective at increasing donor registration among racially diverse groups.
Feeley
Thomas Hugh
TH
University at Buffalo-The State University of New York, 359 Baldy Hall, Buffalo, NY 1426, USA. thfeeley@buffalo.edu
Anker
Ashley E
AE
Watkins
Bobbie
B
Rivera
Julia
J
Tag
Nancy
N
Volpe
Loretta
L
D000328:Adult; D044466:Asian People; D044383:Black People; D006630:Hispanic or Latino; D006801:Humans; D009519:New York City; D012042:Registries; D013334:Students; D009927:Tissue and Organ Procurement / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D014495:Universities; D044465:White People; D001741:Black or African American