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U.S. Public Is Taking Action to Support Organ Donation, Gallup Survey Finds
February 15, 2007
HHS's Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) today announced the results of a 2005 Gallup Organization survey which indicates that Americans continue to strongly support the donation of organs and tissues for transplantation. More importantly, the survey also finds that far higher percentages of Americans have taken personal actions to become organ donors since a similar 1993 survey on donation.
The percentage of individuals who have granted permission to donate their organs or tissues on a driver's license or an organ donor card reached 53 percent in 2005, almost double the 28 percent who had done so in 1993. HRSA Administrator Elizabeth Duke urges anyone interested in becoming an organ donor to learn how at OrganDonor.gov. HRSA directs federal efforts to promote donation.

Nearly all of the survey respondents – 97 percent – said they would donate a family member's organs if they knew the person's wishes ahead of time. The 2005 survey reported that 71 percent of Americans had talked to a family member about their donation wishes, up from 52 percent in 1993.
"Make sure you tell your relatives about your intention to donate once you sign up. Sharing your intentions with family members is an important part of the donation process," Duke added.
Gallup also found that among U.S. racial and ethnic groups, Whites (61 percent) in 2005 were most likely to indicate donation on their driver's license, followed by Latinos and Asians (both at 39 percent), and Blacks (31 percent).
"The results of this survey show that more Americans than ever are aware of the importance of organ donation and are taking action," stated Duke. "But we must do more, particularly in minority communities where support for donation is weaker. I encourage more families to discuss this issue, because their decision to donate in a time of grief can bring hope and life to many others."
The Gallup Organization's 2005 National Survey of Organ and Tissue Donation Attitudes and Behaviors queried over 2,000 Americans concerning their attitudes toward donation of organs and tissues for transplantation. The study replicates the 1993 survey and includes new items as well. For more information on how you can become an organ donor and more detail on the Gallup survey results, visit www.organdonor.gov/survey2005.
The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, is the primary federal agency for improving access to health care services for people who are uninsured, isolated or medically vulnerable. HRSA also oversees a national organ and tissue transplantation system. For more information about HRSA, visit www.hrsa.gov.