Factors that influence parents’ decision to donate their children’s organs

Introduction: Organ donation is the offer of organs and tissues for transplantation to a fellow human being by the donor who has been declared as clinically dead. However, that organ donation rates for paediatric patients remain low, both nationally and globally.

Purpose: Identifying, examining and understanding the factors that influence parents’decisions, when faced with the organ donation of their deceased child.

Methods: A review of the literature was conducted in PubMed and Science Direct databases from December 2020 to February 2021.Epidemiological studies written in Greek and English language and published from 2006 to 2020, with regards to organ donation, as well as tissue and bodily fluids from paediatric patients, alongside factors contributing to the parents’ decision, were included in the review.

Results: 544 articles were retrieved and finally 11 of them were studied extensively, based on the inclusion criteria According to the outcome of the studies that have been reviewed showed that interpersonal/personal experiences, society, religion, health professionals, education, traditional values, child death conditions and stages of mourning and grief were the reasons that primarily influence and shape the decision of the parent/proxy.

Conclusions: Increase in donation rates to pediatric patients, will be achieved through raising awareness, the education of society and information campaigns, in addition to the contribution received by medical and healthcare professionals.