Volume 32, Issue 2: April, 2005

Abstract

Organ Donor Registration Preferences Among Hispanic Populations: Which Modes of Registration Have the Greatest Promise?

Jason T. Siegel, PhD, Eusebio M. Alvaro, PhD, MPH, and Sara Pace Jones, BA

There is little debate over Hispanics’ need for viable organs. Although organ donor registries can potentially assist in alleviating this need, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) has called on researchers to investigate methods to maximize such potential. This research effort answers the aforementioned call by surveying Hispanics, both those who prefer to use Spanish (SP, n = 239) and those who prefer not to use Spanish (NSP, n = 364) about the methods of donor registration that they would most likely utilize. When provided with different options for organ donor registration, signing up by applying for a driver’s license, through a place of worship, or through a doctor’s office were among the most popular methods; over the telephone, tax forms, or through the use of home computer were among the least popular. Furthermore, the DHHS-suggested idea of registering via organ donor kiosks was very well received.