Tribes Sharing Life: Results from a Pilot Test of an Organ and Tissue Donation Education Intervention for American Indian Tribal College Students

Among American Indians (AIs) there is a need for renal transplantation largely due to type 2 diabetes. Consent rates for deceased donation among AIs are low. This study tested an intervention to increase intent to serve as an organ/tissue donor among AI tribal college students. The study was based on the Transtheoretical Model and the cultural traditions of story-telling and gift giving. Community-based participatory research methods and a 2-group quasi-experimental design were used. Six tribal colleges were randomly assigned to two groups. The experimental program was classroom-based education; control was posted print materials promoting the project web-site. The sample was AI adults attending tribal colleges (N=399). Outcomes were (a) stage of motivational readiness (SMR) to serve as an organ/tissue donor, and (b) enrollment in a donor registry. The classroom approach enrolled more students than control (p<.001). Of all who enrolled, there were no significant group differences in changes in either SMR to register as a donor or in registry enrollment (p>.05); 61% of all participants progressed in SMR and 20% enrolled in a state registry. McNemar's test was used to compare pre-and post-intervention SMR for all participants who were categorized as stage non-progressed (no change in stage of readiness, 39%), or stage progressed (progressed one or more stages of readiness, 61%). No participants regressed in stage. Progression in SMR from pre- to post-intervention was significant, ÷2(1)=17.79, p<.05. Both interventions resulted in changes in intention to serve as a donor. Greater numbers were enrolled from the classroom approach.