Factors Associated With Willingness to Support Organ Donation in Trinidad and Tobago

Introduction Organ donation and transplantation remain underutilized in Trinidad and Tobago despite the rising burden of chronic kidney and end-stage renal disease. Limited public understanding, low awareness of existing legislation, and persistent sociocultural and religious concerns contribute to low donation rates. This study examines knowledge, attitudes, and perceived barriers toward organ donation within the country's sociocultural and legislative context. Research Questions What demographic, psychosocial, and systemic factors influence willingness to donate organs, and how do knowledge, attitudes, cultural beliefs, and family discussions shape support for organ donation? Design A national cross-sectional household survey was conducted using stratified cluster sampling across 1047 households. A modified version of the 2012 U.S. National Survey of Organ Donation assessed public awareness, willingness to donate, and influencing factors. Analyses included 1-way analysis of variance and Pearson correlation to evaluate relationships between demographic variables, knowledge, and willingness to donate. Results Among 1047 respondents, 80.4% reported no knowledge of the Human Tissue Transplant Act. Higher education was positively associated with willingness to donate ( P < .05). Misconceptions, fear, and religious concerns were major barriers. Family discussion strongly predicted willingness, explaining 31.7% of the variance. Although 70% opposed financial incentives, those who supported incentives showed higher willingness to donate ( P < .05). Conclusion Organ donation readiness in Trinidad and Tobago remains limited due to low legal awareness and sociocultural barriers. Promoting informed family discussions and implementing culturally responsive education campaigns may enhance willingness to donate and strengthen the national transplantation framework.