Attitudes of European students towards family decision-making and the harmonisation of consent systems in deceased organ donation: a cross-national survey
Abstract Background European countries are increasingly harmonising their organ donation and transplantation policies. Although a growing number of nations are moving to presumed consent to deceased organ donation, no attempts have been made to harmonise policies on individual consent and the role o...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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BMC
2022-11-01
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| Series: | BMC Public Health |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-022-14476-z |
| _version_ | 1811318048693420032 |
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| author | Alberto Molina-Pérez Gabriele Werner-Felmayer Kristof Van Assche Anja M. B. Jensen Janet Delgado Magdalena Flatscher-Thöni Ivar R. Hannikainen David Rodriguez-Arias Silke Schicktanz Sabine Wöhlke |
| author_facet | Alberto Molina-Pérez Gabriele Werner-Felmayer Kristof Van Assche Anja M. B. Jensen Janet Delgado Magdalena Flatscher-Thöni Ivar R. Hannikainen David Rodriguez-Arias Silke Schicktanz Sabine Wöhlke |
| author_sort | Alberto Molina-Pérez |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background European countries are increasingly harmonising their organ donation and transplantation policies. Although a growing number of nations are moving to presumed consent to deceased organ donation, no attempts have been made to harmonise policies on individual consent and the role of the family in the decision-making process. Little is known about public awareness of and attitudes towards the role of the family in their own country and European harmonisation on these health policy dimensions. To improve understanding of these issues, we examined what university students think about the role of the family in decision-making in deceased organ donation and about harmonising consent policies within Europe. Methods Using LimeSurvey© software, we conducted a comparative cross-sectional international survey of 2193 university students of health sciences and humanities/social sciences from Austria (339), Belgium (439), Denmark (230), Germany (424), Greece (159), Romania (190), Slovenia (190), and Spain (222). Results Participants from opt-in countries may have a better awareness of the family’s legal role than those from opt-out countries. Most respondents opposed the family veto, but they were more ambivalent towards the role of the family as a surrogate decision-maker. The majority of participants were satisfied with the family’s legal role. However, those who were unsatisfied preferred to limit family involvement. Overall, participants were opposed to the idea of national sovereignty over consent policies. They favoured an opt-out policy harmonisation and were divided over opt-in. Their views on harmonisation of family involvement were consistent with their personal preferences. Conclusions There is overall division on whether families should have a surrogate role, and substantial opposition to granting them sole authority over decision-making. If European countries were to harmonise their policies on consent for organ donation, an opt-out system that grants families a surrogate decision-making role may enjoy the widest public support. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-13T12:19:00Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-27598ebc12f34e1990b1109d6e5e3294 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1471-2458 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-13T12:19:00Z |
| publishDate | 2022-11-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | BMC Public Health |
| spelling | doaj.art-27598ebc12f34e1990b1109d6e5e32942022-12-22T02:47:16ZengBMCBMC Public Health1471-24582022-11-0122111110.1186/s12889-022-14476-zAttitudes of European students towards family decision-making and the harmonisation of consent systems in deceased organ donation: a cross-national surveyAlberto Molina-Pérez0Gabriele Werner-Felmayer1Kristof Van Assche2Anja M. B. Jensen3Janet Delgado4Magdalena Flatscher-Thöni5Ivar R. Hannikainen6David Rodriguez-Arias7Silke Schicktanz8Sabine Wöhlke9Instituto de Estudios Sociales Avanzados (IESA), CSICInstitute of Biological Chemistry, Biocentre, and Bioethics Network Ethucation, Medical University InnsbruckResearch Group Personal Rights and Property Rights, Faculty of Law, University of AntwerpPublic Issues Working Group, ELPAT-ESOTFiloLab–UGR, Philosophy I Department, University of GranadaDepartment of Public Health, Health Services Research and Health Technology Assessment, UMIT – Private University for Health Sciences, Medical Informatics and TechnologyFiloLab–UGR, Philosophy I Department, University of GranadaFiloLab–UGR, Philosophy I Department, University of GranadaPublic Issues Working Group, ELPAT-ESOTPublic Issues Working Group, ELPAT-ESOTAbstract Background European countries are increasingly harmonising their organ donation and transplantation policies. Although a growing number of nations are moving to presumed consent to deceased organ donation, no attempts have been made to harmonise policies on individual consent and the role of the family in the decision-making process. Little is known about public awareness of and attitudes towards the role of the family in their own country and European harmonisation on these health policy dimensions. To improve understanding of these issues, we examined what university students think about the role of the family in decision-making in deceased organ donation and about harmonising consent policies within Europe. Methods Using LimeSurvey© software, we conducted a comparative cross-sectional international survey of 2193 university students of health sciences and humanities/social sciences from Austria (339), Belgium (439), Denmark (230), Germany (424), Greece (159), Romania (190), Slovenia (190), and Spain (222). Results Participants from opt-in countries may have a better awareness of the family’s legal role than those from opt-out countries. Most respondents opposed the family veto, but they were more ambivalent towards the role of the family as a surrogate decision-maker. The majority of participants were satisfied with the family’s legal role. However, those who were unsatisfied preferred to limit family involvement. Overall, participants were opposed to the idea of national sovereignty over consent policies. They favoured an opt-out policy harmonisation and were divided over opt-in. Their views on harmonisation of family involvement were consistent with their personal preferences. Conclusions There is overall division on whether families should have a surrogate role, and substantial opposition to granting them sole authority over decision-making. If European countries were to harmonise their policies on consent for organ donation, an opt-out system that grants families a surrogate decision-making role may enjoy the widest public support.https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-022-14476-zOrgan donationConsentFamily involvementPolicy harmonisationSurvey |
| spellingShingle | Alberto Molina-Pérez Gabriele Werner-Felmayer Kristof Van Assche Anja M. B. Jensen Janet Delgado Magdalena Flatscher-Thöni Ivar R. Hannikainen David Rodriguez-Arias Silke Schicktanz Sabine Wöhlke Attitudes of European students towards family decision-making and the harmonisation of consent systems in deceased organ donation: a cross-national survey BMC Public Health Organ donation Consent Family involvement Policy harmonisation Survey |
| title | Attitudes of European students towards family decision-making and the harmonisation of consent systems in deceased organ donation: a cross-national survey |
| title_full | Attitudes of European students towards family decision-making and the harmonisation of consent systems in deceased organ donation: a cross-national survey |
| title_fullStr | Attitudes of European students towards family decision-making and the harmonisation of consent systems in deceased organ donation: a cross-national survey |
| title_full_unstemmed | Attitudes of European students towards family decision-making and the harmonisation of consent systems in deceased organ donation: a cross-national survey |
| title_short | Attitudes of European students towards family decision-making and the harmonisation of consent systems in deceased organ donation: a cross-national survey |
| title_sort | attitudes of european students towards family decision making and the harmonisation of consent systems in deceased organ donation a cross national survey |
| topic | Organ donation Consent Family involvement Policy harmonisation Survey |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-022-14476-z |
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