Abstract
BackgroundOrgan donation registration rates remain low, especially among people with lower educational levels. An interactive educational intervention was developed to prepare lower-educated students in the Netherlands for making a well-informed decision about organ donation. This article reports on the effects of this intervention on the intention to register (i.e., the primary outcome in the study at hand) and beliefs regarding organ donation.Materials and methodsThe effectiveness was investigated in a post-test-only cluster randomized controlled trial, in which the intervention was offered to the experimental group and after measurement also to the control group. Randomization to the experimental and control groups took place at a class level. Teachers of schools for Intermediate Vocational Education who taught a course on Citizenship delivered three intervention elements (i.e., video fragments and discussion, quizzes with tailored feedback and exercise filling out a registration form) to their students during two 50-min lessons.ResultsA total of 1170 students participated in the trial and filled out a questionnaire (45 experimental and 43 control classes). Compared to the control group, students in the experimental group had higher odds of having positive registration intentions (OR = 1.81; 95%CI [1.10–2.96]), their perceived knowledge was higher (B = 0.62; 95%CI [0.23–1.01]) and they had higher intentions to talk to family members (B = 0.68; 95%CI [0.28–1.08]) and friends (B = 0.36; 95%CI [0.07–0.66]) about organ donation. There were no effects on the choice students intended to register (OR = 1.08; 95%CI [0.67–1.73]).ConclusionsProviding education in a classroom setting is an effective tool in increasing registration intentions. Despite uncertainties about the effects on actual registration behavior, a larger-scale dissemination of this intervention is recommended. Providing clear information and opening the discussion about organ donation is an important and promising first step towards higher registration rates.Trial registrationThe Dutch Trial Register, ID: NTR6771. Registered on 24 October 2017. https://www.trialregister.nl/trial/6557
Highlights
Despite many efforts to increase donor rates in the Netherlands, the high demands for organs and tissues are not met
Compared to the control group, students in the experimental group had higher odds of having positive registration intentions (OR = 1.81; 95%CI [1.10–2.96]), their perceived knowledge was higher (B = 0.62; 95%CI [0.23–1.01]) and they had higher intentions to talk to family members (B = 0.68; 95%CI [0.28–1.08]) and friends (B = 0.36; 95%CI [0.07–0.66]) about organ donation
Providing education in a classroom setting is an effective tool in increasing registration intentions
Summary
Despite many efforts to increase donor rates in the Netherlands, the high demands for organs and tissues are not met. 42% of the Dutch population has registered their preference regarding organ donation, of which 58% registered as a donor [1]. This results in long waiting lists [2], and places a high burden on family members and medical professionals [3,4,5]. In case someone dies without being registered, family members are asked for consent. Up to 10% of the families are not even approached to ask for consent [4] This all leads to a high refusal rate (67%) in cases where no consent or objection is registered [5]. Organ donation registration rates remain low, especially among people with lower educational levels. This article reports on the effects of this intervention on the intention to register (i.e., the primary outcome in the study at hand) and beliefs regarding organ donation
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