Effects of structured education program on organ donor designation of nursing students and their families: A randomized controlled trial.
Little is known about the effect of education programs on changing attitudes and behaviors of participants and their families toward deceased organ donation.



The subjects of this randomized trial were Japanese nursing students who were not previously designated organ donors. They were randomly assigned to either the education program or information booklet group. The program comprised a lecture followed by group discussion and information booklet. The primary outcome was self-reported organ donor designation. Outcomes were assessed by questionnaire.



Data of 203 (99.0%) students were analyzed. At study end, seven of 102 students (6.9%) of the program group and one of 101 students (1.0%) of the booklet group consented to donate organs (proportion ratio 6.93 [95% CI 0.87-55.32]). There were significant between-group differences in willingness to consent for donation (54.9% vs 39.6%; proportion ratio 1.39 [95% CI 1.03-1.87]), family discussion (31.4% vs 15.9%; 1.98 [1.16-3.38]), and organ donor designation of family members (11.8% vs 2.0%; 5.94 [1.36-25.88]). No group differences were found in willingness for organ donation by students and family members.



Although there were no significant between-group differences in organ donor designation, the program seems to indirectly promote consent to organ donation by their families.
Department of Healthcare Epidemiology, School of Public Health in the Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan.|Department of Nephrology, Saku Central Hospital, Nagano, Japan.
Minoru
M
Murakami
Department of Healthcare Epidemiology, School of Public Health in the Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan.|Institute for Advancement of Clinical and Translational Science (iACT), Kyoto University Hospital, Kyoto, Japan.|Center for Innovative Research for Communities and Clinical Excellence (CIRC2LE), Fukushima Medical University, Fukushima, Japan.
Shingo
S
Fukuma
Department of Nephrology, Saku Central Hospital, Nagano, Japan.
Masaya
M
Ikezoe
Saku Central Hospital Nursing School, Nagano, Japan.
Chizuko
C
Iizuka
Saku Central Hospital Nursing School, Nagano, Japan.
Satoshi
S
Izawa
Department of Healthcare Epidemiology, School of Public Health in the Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan.|Institute for Advancement of Clinical and Translational Science (iACT), Kyoto University Hospital, Kyoto, Japan.
Yosuke
Y
Yamamoto
Department of Healthcare Epidemiology, School of Public Health in the Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan.
Shin
S
Yamazaki
Department of Healthcare Epidemiology, School of Public Health in the Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan. fukuhara.shunichi.6m@kyoto-u.ac.jp.|Center for Innovative Research for Communities and Clinical Excellence (CIRC2LE), Fukushima Medical University, Fukushima, Japan. fukuhara.shunichi.6m@kyoto-u.ac.jp.
Shunichi
S
Fukuhara
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D005190:Family / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006266:Health Education / Q000379:methods*; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D007258:Informed Consent / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D007564:Japan; D008297:Male; D013338:Students, Nursing / Q000523:psychology*; D014019:Tissue Donors / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data / Q000600:supply & distribution; D009927:Tissue and Organ Procurement; D055815:Young Adult
education program; group discussion; organ donation; organ donor designation; transplant recipient