UK Polish migrant attitudes toward deceased organ donation: findings from a pilot study

Abstract

There is a critical shortage of transplantable organs in the UK. At present, there is no literature on Polish migrants’ (the fastest growing community in the UK) attitudes toward organ donation. This is the first study to explore the views of the Polish community towards organ donation in the UK. There were 31 participants that took part in semi-structured interviews or small focus groups to discuss organ donation for approximately 1½–2 h. Interviews were transcribed and analysed using grounded theory methods to elicit thematic categories and sub-categories. Overall, participants had a positive attitude towards organ donation but demonstrated a lack of knowledge about the organ donation systems and processes in the UK and wanted to learn more about these issues. As little detailed data on ethnicity is collected on the NHS Organ Donor Register and on the active transplant waiting list, it is currently unclear as to how organ donation affects the Polish community living in the UK. However, the findings of the study highlight the Polish community could benefit from tailored education for a clearer understanding of organ donation processes and systems in the UK and registering as an organ donor.