The role of women in the donation consent decision: building on previous research.

Background—Recently published findings emphasize the dominant role of women in the donation discussion. With some noteworthy exceptions, the empirical literature on gender and donation, and the role of gender in healthcare decisions as well as donation, is limited.Objectives—To provide preliminary information needed to begin theoretical or framework development and to initiate more rigorous research on the role of gender in donation discussions.Design—This exploratory study is a descriptive qualitative retrospective study using focus group methodology.Setting and Participants—Two focus groups were conducted in 2 major cities in the organ procurement organization's service area. Participants were women who were involved in the donation discussion within the past 5 years; 6 participated in 1 session, 8 in the other.Results—The focus group discussions highlight the role of women in the donation process relative to information needs, information usage, and the ensuring dynamics of the donation discussion. Com...