The Gift That Keeps on Giving: Ethnoracial Attitudes toward Organ and Tissue Donation

Abstract

The need for transplantable organs and tissues among ethnoracial minorities surpasses the number of available donors. Scholars have continued to document factors corresponding to the low consent rate among underrepresented populations. The purpose of this article is to reflect on our experience of conducting a qualitative study based on focus group interviews exploring organ and tissue donation attitudes among African Americans, Arab Americans, and Hispanic-Latinx people in Southeast Michigan. In this study, we highlight the importance of conducting in-depth qualitative research to illuminate our understanding of religious and cultural barriers to donating and to inform evidence-based organ and tissue donation campaigns, particularly among ethnoracial minorities.

Keywords:

• Communication
• focus groups
• organ donation
• transplantation
• underrepresented groups

Acknowledgements

Dorrie Dils, Remonia Chapman and Tim Makinen from Gift of Life Michigan.