Awareness of organ donation among people living with HIV in Canada: a cross-sectional study.

Background: Advancements in antiretroviral therapy (ART) have significantly increased the life expectancy of people living with HIV, shifting the clinical focus from AIDS-related complications to the management of chronic conditions common in aging populations. Organ donation by people living with HIV has emerged as a promising option to address the growing need for transplants among this population. Although Canadian policies have permitted this practice under 'exceptional medical circumstances' for almost a decade, no Canadian studies have assessed how aware people living with HIV are of this.

Methods: A cross-sectional, questionnaire-based survey was conducted with a convenience sample of 200 people living with HIV attending a single HIV clinic in Ottawa, Canada. Participants completed a questionnaire featuring 10 close-ended questions assessing awareness of organ donation options (transplant, education, research) and five demographic and HIV status questions at the end. Additional sociodemographic and clinical data were gathered via chart review, and chi-square tests were used to analyse the associations between participants' characteristics and their knowledge of organ donation.

Results: Only 20.6% (n = 41) of respondents were aware that people living with HIV could donate organs for transplantation, 39.0% (n = 78) knew of the possibility of donation for educational purposes, and 32.8% (n = 65) recognized their ability to donate for research purposes. Awareness was strongly correlated with the likelihood of being registered as an organ donor: 20.5% of those who knew about the transplantation option were registered donors, versus 7.4% of those who were unaware.

Conclusions: Our findings revealed a general lack of awareness among Canadians with HIV of the possibilities of post-mortem organ and tissue donation. Since awareness is a key determinant of registration, future efforts should be made to include accurate and up-to-date information on organ donation from people living with HIV in regular HIV care. By ensuring frequent and transparent communication, we open the door to new opportunities for transplantation while also addressing misconceptions and reducing the stigma surrounding HIV care.