A Community-Based Study of Giving ACTS: Organ Donation Education for African American Adults

• Type of Material: Article
• Authors: Kimberly Jacob Arriola, Emory University; Nakeva Redmond, CommunicateHealth Inc; Dana H.Z. Williamson, Emory University; Nancy Thompson, Emory University; Jennie P. Perryman, Emory Transplant Center; Rachel Patzer, Emory University; Melissa Williams, Emory University
• Language: English
• Date: 2019-04-01
• Publisher: NATL MED ASSOC
• Publication Version: Author Accepted Manuscript (After Peer Review)
• Copyright Statement: © 2018 National Medical Association
• Final Published Version (URL): http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jnma.2018.09.005
• Title of Journal or Parent Work: JOURNAL OF THE NATIONAL MEDICAL ASSOCIATION
• Volume: 111
• Issue: 2
• Start Page: 185
• End Page: 192
• Keywords: INTERVENTION; STUDENTS; KNOWLEDGE; General & Internal Medicine; Science & Technology; SUPPORT; RELUCTANCE; African Americans; Life Sciences & Biomedicine; Health education; DECISION; ATTITUDES; Behavioral intervention; Medicine, General & Internal; INTENTIONS; TISSUE DONATION; Organ donation
• Research Categories: Education, Health; Health Sciences, Public Health; Sociology, Ethnic and Racial Studies; Health Sciences, Medicine and Surgery

Abstract

Background: Transplantation continues to be the therapy of choice for people experiencing end-stage organ failure. African Americans (AAs) are overrepresented among those awaiting an available organ for the purpose of a transplant, yet donate at rates lower than other races due to a list of well-studied barriers. The Giving ACTS (About Choices in Transplantation and Sharing) Intervention was developed to provide culturally appropriate messaging to AAs about organ and tissue donation and transplantation (OTDT). The purpose of this community-based study was to test the extent to which the intervention was effective in (1) improving donation-related knowledge and attitudes among AA participants, and (2) increasing registration on the state donor registry. Methods: Using a single-group, pre-post design, 1,585 participants received the intervention in small groups hosted in community settings. Results: From baseline to immediate follow-up, participants significantly increased in OTDT-related knowledge, beliefs and attitudes, endorsement of the positive consequences of donation, and willingness to donate (all ps < .001). Participants’ beliefs about the negative consequences of organ and tissue donation, however, did not significantly change, and registration on the state donor registry was negligible (1.3%). Conclusion: Results suggest that Giving ACTS was generally successful in improving attitudes and beliefs; the intervention, however, was not effective in changing participants’ beliefs about the negative consequences of OTDT, or increasing actual registration behaviors. Future studies in this area should be conducted to empirically evaluate the role of distrust in healthcare systems among AAs and its possible mediating effect on the relationship between donation-related education and the desired health behaviors.