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Living Donation Discussion and News => Living Donation in the News => Topic started by: Clark on August 01, 2016, 07:01:16 PM
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http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/ajt.13961/abstract (http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/ajt.13961/abstract)
A Smartphone App for Increasing Live Organ Donation
Authors
Komal Kumar,
Elizabeth A. King,
Abimereki D. Muzaale,
Jonathan M. Konel,
Katrina A. Bramstedt,
Allan B. Massie,
Dorry L. Segev,
Andrew M. Cameron
Accepted manuscript online: 12 July 2016
DOI: 10.1111/ajt.13961
This article has been accepted for publication and undergone full peer review but has not been through the copyediting, typesetting, pagination and proofreading process, which may lead to differences between this version and the Version of Record. Please cite this article as doi: 10.1111/ajt.13961
Abstract
The incidence of live donor transplantation has declined over the past decade and waitlist candidates report substantial barriers to identifying a live donor. Asking someone to donate feels awkward and unfamiliar. Candidates are hesitant to ask directly and may be more comfortable with a more passive approach. In collaboration with Facebook leadership, we developed an app, which enables waitlist candidates to create a Facebook post about their experience with organ failure and their need for a live donor. We conducted a single-center prospective cohort study of 54 adult kidney-only and liver-only waitlist candidates using the Facebook app. Cox proportional hazard models were used to estimate donor referral on behalf of candidates using the app compared to matched controls. The majority of candidates using the app reported it to be “good” or “excellent” with regard to the installation process (82.9%), readability (88.6%), simplicity (70.6%), clarity (87.5%), and information provided (85.3%). Compared to controls, candidates using the Facebook app were 2.436.6117.98 times as likely to have a donor come forward on their behalf (p<0.001). The Facebook app is an easy to use instrument that enables waitlist candidates to passively communicate their need for a live donor to their social network.