Verble et al listed the various concerns expressed by family members when asked to consent for organ harvesting after the death of a relative. Understanding these concerns can help counselors determine appropriate responses.
Concerns:
(1) donation could add to the cost
(2) the operation could hurt
(3) a particular person could be offended
(4) donor family could be sued
(5) body needs to be buried whole
(6) donor might get inferior treatment
(7) body might look strange at viewing
(8) parts could be wasted or be used for research
(9) donor might not be dead
(10) distribution system is not fair
(11) hard to decide for someone else
(12) people might be making money off the donation
(13) donor expressed wish not to donate
(14) the soul is associated with the body part
(15) donating could delay the funeral
(16) they might regret it later
(17) people might disapprove
(18) body part might be needed in the next world
(19) the body might be treated with disrespect
(20) the operation is mutilating or disfiguring
(21) other
Responses can be configured as yes/no or Likert scale.
Looking at these questions, they can be grouped into categories.
Religious concerns
(18) body part might be needed in the next world
(5) body needs to be buried whole
(14) the soul is associated with the body part
Offense or regret:
(3) a particular person could be offended
(11) hard to decide for someone else
(16) they might regret it later
(17) people might disapprove
Risk to deceased family member:
(2) the operation could hurt
(9) donor might not be dead
Distrust:
(6) donor might get inferior treatment
(8) parts could be wasted or be used for research
(10) distribution system is not fair
(12) people might be making money off the donation
(19) the body might be treated with disrespect
Economic:
(1) donation could add to the cost
(4) donor family could be sued
Deceased wished:
(13) donor expressed wish not to donate
Funeral and appearance-related:
(7) body might look strange at viewing
(15) donating could delay the funeral
(20) the operation is mutilating or disfiguring
