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Evaluation of an organ‐donor‐card campaign in Sweden

1995; Wiley; Volume: 9; Issue: 4 Linguagem: Inglês

10.1111/j.1399-0012.1995.tb00345.x

1399-0012

Margareta Sanner, Håkan Hedman, Gunnar Tufveson,

Organ Donation and Transplantation

One of the aims of this study was to evaluate an information campaign carried out in three geographical areas of Sweden in the winter of 1992‐93. The campaign was intended to increase public awareness of organ donation and to increase the signing of donor cards. Another objective was to test the effects of different kinds of information. These were: A) an extensive “package” of information including training of key groups, lecturing at meetings and exhibitions, and advertisements of donor cards: B) a brochure to households including two donor cards; and C) a combination of A and B. Yet another aim was to reassess public opinion on transplantation issues, which had been surveyed before in 1987, 1988, and 1990. Random samples of the population in three campaign areas and a control sample were surveyed before and after the campaign, altogether 5600 persons. The average response rate was 69% (1992) and 68% (1993). In the two areas where the brochure had been distributed to the households, the rate of donor card holders had more than doubled (from 3% and 5% to 13% and 12%). In the two areas where the brochure had not been distributed, the rate was unchanged (5%). In the “brochure areas” also a somewhat larger number of people had informed their relatives about their decisions, compared with people in the other areas. In all campaign areas considerably more people were aware of the cards than in the control area. No attitude changes could be shown in any area. Thus, the mailed brochure was the most effective in increasing people's signing of the donor cards and informing their families. The more elaborate campaign could possibly have long‐term effects, but this remains to be studied. The attitudes toward organ donation have been rather constant in Sweden from 1987 to 1993, with only slight variations. A “frankness gradient” was confirmed in this study as well as in an earlier study, where those who were negative toward donation of their own organs had discussed this issue least with their families, followed by those who were undecided, whereas those who were positive (and above all those positive who were card‐holders) had discussed this the most with their relatives.