title: Causes of organ donation refusal in southern Iran.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Family refusal is an important factor that limits the number of organ donations. Some studies from different centers have reported various reasons for family decisions of organ donation refusal. This study evaluated the reasons for organ donation refusal by family members covered in our organ procurement organization.
  
  
  METHODS
  This cross-sectional study was performed among families of potential organ donors who satisfied brain death criteria as identified between March 2009 and March 2010.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Among 125 potential donors 73 (58.4%) families refused donation. Their main reasons were as follows: lack of acceptance of brain death n=26 (35.6%), belief in miracle and patient recovery (n=22; 30.1), fear of gossip regarding sale rather than autonomous organ donation (n=11; 15.1%), and fear about deformation of the donor's body (n=9; 12.3%).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Family members play an important role in the final decision for organ donation. The general public should be encouraged to register their donation preferences in the case of brain death.
authors: Shiraz Transplant Research Center, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, and Department of Internal Medicine, Namazi Hospital, Shiraz, Iran.
authors: S M
authors: SM
authors: Dehghani
authors: S
authors: S
authors: Gholami
authors: A
authors: A
authors: Bahador
authors: S
authors: S
authors: Nikeghbalian
authors: A
authors: A
authors: Eshraghian
authors: H
authors: H
authors: Salahi
authors: K
authors: K
authors: Kazemi
authors: A
authors: A
authors: Shamsaei
authors: S A
authors: SA
authors: Malek-Hosseini
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001293:Attitude to Death; D001926:Brain Death; D005190:Family / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007492:Iran; D008297:Male; D045808:Refusal to Participate; D014019:Tissue Donors / Q000523:psychology; D009927:Tissue and Organ Procurement / Q000379:methods / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*