title: Religious and ethnic influences on willingness to donate organs and donor behavior: an Australian perspective.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Globally, the demand for donated organs outstrips supply, meaning that there are both practical and theoretical reasons for examining factors that are predictive of individuals' willingness to donate their organs upon their death.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To determine whether individuals of different religious denominations living in Australia have different views on organ donation, whether donation attitudes differ significantly across ethnic groups, and whether factors identified in international research are predictors of willingness to donate and actual donor behavior in this population.
  
  
  METHODS
  Data for this study were collected from students at an Australian university from a range of religious and ethnic backgrounds, and their friends and relatives (N = 509). Intervention-Participants were administered the Organ Donation Attitude Scale, as well as additional attitudes and knowledge measures.
  
  
  METHODS
  Self-reported "willingness to donate" and "donor behavior".
  
  
  RESULTS
  Our findings complemented those reported in comparable countries, with females, younger Australians, and those with high knowledge levels being more willing to donate than males, older persons, and those with low knowledge. Persons who described themselves as having stronger religious beliefs (particularly Buddhist and Islamic) held less favorable attitudes toward donation, had lower knowledge levels, and were more likely to oppose donation.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Although this study established that attitudes toward, knowledge about, and predictors of organ donation in Australia are similar to those reported elsewhere, donation rates remain low. Further in-depth research examining the impact of religion and culture on attitudes, beliefs, and behavior is essential when exploring strategies to improve organ donation rates in highly multicultural societies such as Australia.
authors: School of Women's and Children's Health, Faculty of Medicine, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia. c.wakefield@unsw.edu.au
authors: Claire E
authors: CE
authors: Wakefield
authors: John
authors: J
authors: Reid
authors: Judi
authors: J
authors: Homewood
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001294:Attitude to Health / Q000208:ethnology*; D002016:Buddhism; D002835:Christianity; D003431:Cross-Cultural Comparison; D005006:Ethnicity; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D007514:Islam; D016014:Linear Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009517:New South Wales; D012067:Religion; D014019:Tissue Donors; D009927:Tissue and Organ Procurement