Myths, Confusion Deter Donors

Myths, Confusion Deter Donors

High awareness but little action. A TOI-Ipsos survey conducted in eight major cities reveals that most people know about organ donation but very few come forward to pledge because of misconceptions and lack of clarity

    Almost everybody in India’s biggest cities is aware of the idea of organ donation, but there is considerable confusion about what organs can be donated and when. Unfortunately, a majority do not wish to donate their organs and less than one in ten has actually signed up.
    Those are the big findings from a survey conducted exclusively for TOI in Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai, Hyderabad, Bangalore, Pune and Ahmedabad. The responses to the survey also show that misconceptions are driving many of those who don’t want to become organ donors. Some are suspicious that hospital staff will not work as hard to save their lives if they know their organs will be available for harvesting.
    Others believe that there might be a temptation to declare them dead before they actually die. A somewhat smaller section thinks it is against their religion or is averse to the idea of their bodies being mutilated. Overall, 96% said they were well aware of organ donations, the proportion varying somewhat across cities, but not falling below 80% in any city. Yet, when asked which organs could be donated, while 86% each mentioned eyes and kidneys, figures for other organs were considerably lower. For instance, just 37% knew that the liver can be donated. In fact, in Hyderabad barely 1% said the liver could be donated.
    The question of when organ donation can be done also highlighted confusion, with 52% saying it could be done before or after death and 43% saying it could only be done after death. The latter figure was as high as 68% in Bangalore.
    The bad news is that 57% of the respondents said they were not interested in donating their organs, with the figure as high as 86% in Ahmedabad. Further, only 7% said they had actually signed up for organ donations, Mumbai showing a commendable 29% on this parameter.
    Is it that a cumbersome process is holding back people from donating? That doesn’t appear to be the case since 82% of those who have signed up said the process was either “easy” or “very easy”. In Chennai, 75% said it was very easy and the remaining 25% said it was easy.
    Further questioning revealed why people hesitate to sign up as donors. Of those who said they were not interested, 28% felt hospital staff would not work as hard to save their lives if they were known to be potential donors and another 22% feared that they would be pronounced dead before they were actually dead. About 18% were squeamish about the mutilation of the body that they presumed organ donation would entail and 17% said their religion would not permit it. This figure was 27% in Ahmedabad. Another major concern (17%) was that donated organs would be preferentially given to the rich and famous rather than to those most in need.
    The decision to become a donor was seen by most as one that needs the family’s involvement. More than half said it would have to a decision of the individual and the family, another 19% insisted the family must approve, though 28% felt it was an individual’s choice.
    This poll was conducted by leading research agency, Ipsos exclusively for TOI. A similar poll conducted online by TOI yielded results that were similar on most counts. There was, however, one very crucial difference. In the online poll, over 85% of those who responded said they would want to donate their organs. 

 
FAQ & FACTS How does an organ donor card help?
    Organ donation and transplantation provides a second chance at life for thousands of people each year. Signing a donor card is the first step in making your wishes about donation known. A donor card is not a legal document. It is only an expression of your willingness to donate. 

What is the family’s role in my decision to donate?
    While signing a donor card demonstrates your desire to donate your organs after your death, letting your family or friends
know about your decision is vitally important. That is because family members will be asked to give consent for the donation, so it’s essential that they know your wishes. Their decision will be considered final when they are asked for consent. So this is the best way to ensure that your wishes are carried out. 

Can I specify which organs I want to donate while filling up the donor card?
    Yes, you can specify which organs you would wish to donate. Simply tick the appropriate boxes on the organ donor card and let those close to you know what you have decided. Pallavi Kumar | Executive Director (Delhi-NCR), Mohan Foundation