3
Gender Differences in Family Communication
about Organ Donation
The current system of organ donation procurement remains unable to match
demand in the US (United Network for Organ Sharing, 2002; Spital, 1995) and
throughout the world (First, 1997). As of July 5, 2002 there were more than 35,000 men,
women, and children in need of some 80,339 organs on the national waiting list for
transplantation in this country (UNOS, 2002), and a new name is added to the list every
13 minutes (UNOS, 2002). In Western Europe, some 40,000 people are waiting for a
kidney (First, 1997), with thousands of others waiting for a liver, heart, lung or pancreas,
and many more in need of tissue and corneas. Although organ donation increased seven
percent in 2001 (“Organ donation increased…,” 2002), the gap between those needing
organs and donations continues to increase, approaching crisis proportions (Vastag,
2002). In 1990 the number of patients awaiting organ transplant was 20,000, but that
number has grown steadily to 80,000 as of February, 2002, while the number of
cadaveric donors increased only slightly (Vastag, 2002). Donor need is predicted to soar
199% by the year 2020 (“New suggestions….,” 2000). Morgan & Miller (2002a) suggest
the list of those in need of an organ is growing at three times the rate that new donors can
be found. In the U.S., 15 people die every day waiting for a donor organ (UNOS, 2002).
The discrepancy between organs needed and organs donated is severe and steadily
worsening (Spital, 1995).
Even though each year 15,000 people die under conditions that would allow them
to be suitable organ donors, only about 6,000 will actually become organ donors. Spital
Convention