Racial disparities in preferences and perceptions regarding organ donation

OBJECTIVES: To identify reasons for lower organ donation rates by African Americans, we examined knowledge and attitudes about brain death, donation, and transplantation and trust in the health care system. METHODS: Data were collected from 1,283 subjects in Ohio using a random digit dial telephone survey. Items were developed based on focus group results. Willingness-to-donate indicators included a signed donor card and willingness to donate one's own and a loved one's organs. RESULTS: Compared with whites, African-Americans had lower rates of signing a donor card (39.1% vs 64.9%, P