title: Children's opinions about organ donation: a first step to assent?
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Parents have to decide about organ donation after the death of their child. Although most parents probably would like to respect their child's intentions, parents often are not aware of their child's wishes. This requires insight into children's opinions about donation.
  
  
  METHODS
  An internet survey that investigated whether Dutch children in the age range of 12 through 15 years had heard about organ donation, what their opinions were on donation and whether the topic had been discussed at home. Questionnaire response rate 38%.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Around 99% of 2016 responders had heard about organ donation and about the possibility of becoming a donor, 75% preferred to decide for themselves about donation, 43% had discussed organ donation more than once at home, 66% were willing to donate. The willingness to donate was positively associated with age and socio-economic status.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This survey indicates that these children at 12 through 15 years of age are capable and willing to think about organ donation. Thought should be given about how to raise awareness and how to enable parents and children to develop some sort of health literacy concerning the concept of organ donation. Children and their parents should be given adequate opportunities to receive appropriate information, suited to their psychological and moral developmental status.
authors.affiliation: University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands. m.j.siebelink@rvb.umcg.nl
authors.forename: Marion J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Siebelink
authors.forename: Erwin A H M
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Geerts
authors.forename: Marcel J I J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Albers
authors.forename: Petrie F
authors.initials: PF
authors.lastname: Roodbol
authors.forename: Harry B M
authors.initials: HB
authors.lastname: van de Wiel
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D017677:Age Distribution; D002648:Child; D003657:Decision Making; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D020407:Internet; D008297:Male; D009426:Netherlands; D010290:Parents / Q000523:psychology; D017678:Sex Distribution; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014019:Tissue Donors / Q000523:psychology*; D009927:Tissue and Organ Procurement