Date of Conferral

2023

Degree

Ph.D.

School

Nursing

Advisor

Janice Long

Abstract

AbstractAfrican Americans (AAs) who suffer from life-threatening organ failure often need an organ transplant to sustain or to improve their quality of life. The shortage of donor organs, and AAs willing to become organ donors, limits the number of organs available for transplant. The purpose of this study was to understand the lived experience of AAs regarding the role of mistrust and to understand its influence on their organ donation decision-making. Social cognitive theory guided this qualitative descriptive phenomenological study designed to gain an understanding of the lived experiences of the AAs related to the role of mistrust in their organ donation decisions. Recruitment of the two male and six female participants was achieved through responses to flyers posted on social media and the Walden University participant pool. Participants were AAs,18 years of age and over with two participants having an organ donor card. Interviews using open-ended questions were conducted telephonically and transcribed manually then analyzed using thematic analysis. Five themes emerged from the analysis, trust in AA providers, feelings of mistrust, transparency, lack of understanding, and a pessimistic view of organ donation. Participants personal experiences with the healthcare community reinforced their feelings of transparency, mistrust, and an unwillingness to be organ donors. The results of this study may promote positive social change as healthcare professionals develop strategies to address the lack of transplant knowledge and AA’s fears regarding organ donation, thereby improving organ donation in the population. Future interventional studies are needed to address the lack of transplant knowledge among AAs and to improve trust in healthcare providers.

Download

Share

 
COinS