Project
Title: A Multi-Campus Classroom Intervention
to Increase Organ and Tissue Donation
Principal Investigator:
Carla Williams, MPA, New York Alliance for Donation,
Inc.
Principal Researchers:
Thomas Feeley, PhD, Research Assistant Professor, University
at Buffalo;
Anita Pomerantz, PhD, Professor, University
at Albany
Primary Applicant Institution:
New York Alliance for Donation, Inc.
Other Consortium Organizations:
University at Buffalo, University at Albany
Purpose: The purpose
is to increase the number of college students in New
York who communicate their intent to donate by enrolling
in the New York State Organ and Tissue Donor Registry
and notifying their family members of their enrollment
decision.
Research Questions:
- To what extent do students who have participated in the communication campaign
practicum obtain greater awareness of OTD, have more accurate knowledge of
OTD, have more favorable attitudes toward OTD, are more likely to sign the
registry, and are more likely to discuss OTD with family members than students
of comparable year and major?
- Which aspects of the classroom intervention
have the greatest impact on students’ decision
to sign the Registry and inform next-of-kin
of their decision?
-
To what extent are students who know student-participants
in the communication campaign practicum
more likely to sign the registry and
inform next-of-kin than students who
do not know the students in the course?
- To what extent are students who participate in campaign activities more
likely to sign the registry and inform next-of-kin than students who do not
participate in campaign activities?
- What are the barriers reported by college students regarding initiation
of conversations about OTD with family members?
- What methods do students use to overcome these barriers?
Proposed Intervention: Public communication
course promoting OTD that requires students to devise and execute campus-wide
campaign to increase declaration rates and family discussion.
Geographic Location of Intervention Sites:
Buffalo and Albany, New York
Length of Project in Years: 3 years
Outcome Measures: Number of students enrolled
in New York State Organ and Tissue Donor Registry and number of students who
discuss their consent decision with family members.
To determine the effect of the classroom activities and the campus campaign,
five studies were conducted. The first two studies are qualitative conducted
by Dr. Anita Pomerantz of the State University of New York at Albany. The remaining
three are quantitative conducted by Dr. Thomas Feeley of the State University
of New York at Buffalo.
1.
The practices that students use in conversations with family members 1)
to initiate discussions about organ and tissue donation and 2) to meet and counter
apathy, resistance, hostility, and/or antipathy expressed directly or indirectly
by other family members.
Click here to view Year 1 research results.
Click here to view Year 2 research results.
Click here to view Year 3 research results.
2.
The perception of the students in the intervention courses regarding
the effects of course-related activities on their attitudes and actions related
to organ and tissue donation (OTD). Changes in their thinking about and commitment
to OTD, their attitudes and actions related to OTD, and the conversations they
had about OTD during the semester with friends and family members are being studied.
Click here to
view Year 1 research results.
Click here to
view Year 2 research results.
Click here to
view Year 3 research results.
3.
The impact of a campus-wide campaign on the campus-wide student population regarding
attitudes and intentions toward organ and tissue donation (OTD), registry signing
rates, and willingness to discuss OTD with friends and family.
Click here to
view Year 1 research results.
Click here to
view Year 2 research results.
Click
here to view Year 3 research results.
4.
The impact of a campus-wide campaign on the students conducting the
campaign regarding attitudes and intentions toward organ and tissue
donation (OTD), registry signing rates, and willingness to discuss OTD with friends
and family.
Click
here to view Year 1 research
results.
Click
here to view Year 2 research
results.
Click
here to view Year 3 research results.
5.
The impact on the social network of students who decide to sign organ
donation registry cards.
Click here to
view Year 1 research results on the sources
of influence on students’ decision
to enroll in the registry.
Click
here to view Year 2 research
results on the sources of
influence on students’ decision
to enroll in the registry.
Click
here to view Year 3 research results on
the sources of influence on students’ decision
to enroll in the registry.
