Background As an overrepresented population on the transplant waitlist, stagnated rates of organ donation registration among Latinxs must be redressed. Promotoras (community health workers), who are effective at advocating and spearheading health promotion efforts in the Latinx community, show promise in their ability to educate about organ donation and donor registration. Objective This study aimed (1) to develop an interactive, evidence-based program to educate promotoras about organ donation, the need for organ donors in the Latinx American community, and ways to register as deceased organ donors and (2) to train promotoras to lead discussions about organ donation and to promote the act of donor registration. Methods In partnership with 4 promotoras organizations, the culturally targeted Promotoras de Donación eLearning module was developed based on input from 12 focus groups conducted with Latina women (n=61) and promotoras (n=37). Formative work, existing literature, the Vested Interest Theory, and the Organ Donation Model guided curriculum development. In partnership with the Gift of Life Institute and regional promotoras, the curriculum was designed, filmed, and developed in a visually appealing module interface. The module was beta-tested with promotoras before launch. Results Promotoras de Donación, available in Spanish with English subtitling, lasts just over an hour. The module comprised 6 sections including various activities and videos, with the curriculum divided into a skills-based communication component and a didactic educational component. Pre- and posttests assessed the module’s direct effects on promotoras’ organ donation knowledge and attitudes as well as confidence promoting the act of donor registration. Conclusions This novel, theoretically and empirically based intervention leveraged the existing network of promotoras to promote the act of donor registration. Future research should assess whether the module helps increase rates of donor registration within Latinx communities and reduce disparities in access to transplantation. Trial Registration ClinicalTrials.gov NCT04007419; https://www.clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04007419

Background Despite positive public attitudes toward solid organ donation in the United States, some of the lowest rates of donor designation persist among older adults and Latinx populations. Aims To identify barriers and facilitators to organ donation and donor designation among lay health educators ( promotoras) and mature Latina (50+ years). Methods An explanatory sequential mixed-method design was employed, with telephone surveys followed by focus group interviews, to assess and understand the nuances of organ donation and donor designation knowledge, attitudes, and practices among promotoras and mature Latinas in Chicago (IL), Philadelphia (PA), and San Antonio (TX). Descriptive statistics summarized quantitative survey data; thematic content analysis was performed on qualitative data. Results Twenty-nine promotoras and 45 mature Latina participated in both the surveys and focus groups ( N = 74). Most participants (90%) had limited knowledge of organ donation but reported being “somewhat” or “strongly” in favor of donation (70%); 40.5% were registered donors. Participants lacked knowledge about the registration process and its legal standing and upheld concerns that registered donors would be vulnerable to organ traffickers or targets for murder. Themes emerging from the group interviews revealed additional barriers to designation including distrust of the medical establishment, perceptions of inequities in organ allocation, and family resistance to discussing death. Discussion Low donor designation rates are primarily driven by concerns about organ trafficking and the fairness of the allocation system, particularly for undocumented immigrants. Conclusions The results informed development of a culturally targeted educational and communication skills intervention to increase donor designation in Latinx communities. Trial registration ClinicalTrials.gov NCT04007419.

There is currently no consensus on the ideal body mass index (BMI) for kidney transplantation, yet an elevated BMI can limit access to transplantation. This study explored the attitudes of kidney transplant professionals regarding BMI as a selection criterion for kidney transplantation. Brief, in-person interviews were conducted at the 2016 American Transplant Congress. Participants were queried on their views regarding kidney transplant eligibility for patients with classes 1, 2, and 3 obesity, as well as their transplant centers’ BMI-related policies. Most (88%) of the 94 participants did not consider class 1 obesity (BMI 30 to < 35) a contraindication to kidney transplantation, with a greater number of participants reluctant to consider patients with class 2 (BMI 35 to < 40) or class 3 obesity (BMI ³ 40) for transplantation. Participants identified a mean maximum BMI 2.3 points higher than the mean maximum BMI reported in transplant center patient selection criteria policies. Overall, kidney transplant professionals viewed BMI as a useful patient selection criterion when considered within the larger context of the patient’s clinical picture. Future research should assess outcomes for transplant recipients with varying obesity levels.

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BACKGROUND As an overrepresented population on the transplant waitlist, stagnated rates of organ donation registration among Latinxs must be redressed. Promotoras (community health workers), who are effective at advocating and spearheading health promotion efforts in the Latinx community, show promise in their ability to educate about organ donation and donor registration. OBJECTIVE This study aimed (1) to develop an interactive, evidence-based program to educate promotoras about organ donation, the need for organ donors in the Latinx American community, and ways to register as deceased organ donors and (2) to train promotoras to lead discussions about organ donation and to promote the act of donor registration. METHODS In partnership with 4 promotoras organizations, the culturally targeted <italic>Promotoras de Donación</italic> eLearning module was developed based on input from 12 focus groups conducted with Latina women (n=61) and promotoras (n=37). Formative work, existing literature, the Vested Interest Theory, and the Organ Donation Model guided curriculum development. In partnership with the Gift of Life Institute and regional promotoras, the curriculum was designed, filmed, and developed in a visually appealing module interface. The module was beta-tested with promotoras before launch. RESULTS <italic>Promotoras de Donación</italic>, available in Spanish with English subtitling, lasts just over an hour. The module comprised 6 sections including various activities and videos, with the curriculum divided into a skills-based communication component and a didactic educational component. Pre- and posttests assessed the module’s direct effects on promotoras’ organ donation knowledge and attitudes as well as confidence promoting the act of donor registration. CONCLUSIONS This novel, theoretically and empirically based intervention leveraged the existing network of promotoras to promote the act of donor registration. Future research should assess whether the module helps increase rates of donor registration within Latinx communities and reduce disparities in access to transplantation. CLINICALTRIAL ClinicalTrials.gov NCT04007419; https://www.clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04007419