Background. The purpose of the study was to determine factors that influenc
e the decision of the next living relative of a deceased for consent on cor
nea donation.
Methods. The interviews with the relatives of 94 potential cornea donors of
the Eye Bank of the Ludwig-Maximilians-Universistat, Munich were analysed.
The influence of sociological factors on the frequency of obtained consent
was investigated.
Results. During a 3-month-period, 77 relatives of 94 possible donors were a
sked for consent to cornea donation and 56 consents (73%) and 21 refusals (
27%) were obtained. In 17 (18%) of the cases the relatives could not be rea
ched. Analysis showed a higher consent rate for donors with a university de
gree (82%) versus those without (71%). Consent was more often obtained for
donors who were divorced (88%) than from those who were single (62%). Child
ren of full age (83%) consented more frequently to cornea donation than hus
bands and wives (78%) or the parents of the deceased (60%). Examination of
the postal codes of the residential area indicated more frequent refusals f
or donors from the rural (54% consent rate) than the urban Munich populatio
n (77% consent rate). The situation was the opposite for the residential ar
ea of the consenting relative where there was a higher willingness to donat
e in cases of suicide (93%) in contrast to other causes such as nat and tra
ffic accidents (71%).
Conclusion. Socio-economic factors such as education, marital status, resid
ential area and situational factors such as the cause of death, play an imp
ortant role on the willingness to consent to donate. This study can improve
the understanding of the donor family's decision making and as such help t
he physician asking for consent and improve information to the public which
may increase the number of cornea donors in Germany.