Currently submitted to: JMIR Public Health and Surveillance
Date Submitted: Feb 13, 2025
Open Peer Review Period: Feb 13, 2025 - Apr 10, 2025
(currently open for review)
Warning: This is an author submission that is not peer-reviewed or edited. Preprints - unless they show as "accepted" - should not be relied on to guide clinical practice or health-related behavior and should not be reported in news media as established information.
Inspiring Future Organ Donors: A Literature Review of Positive Messaging and Developing the Case for Mighty Organs
ABSTRACT
Background:
Organ donation is a life-saving intervention, yet the demand for organs far exceeds availability. While traditional awareness campaigns have attempted to address this gap, their reliance on fear-based messaging may limit effectiveness, particularly among younger audiences. Positive messaging strategies remain underexplored, especially in paediatric health education, despite their potential to foster long-term pro-donation attitudes.
Objective:
This study aims to evaluate the role of positive messaging in organ donation education. It examines how optimistic and empowering narratives influence attitudes toward organ donation, focusing on pediatric audiences. The research also assesses the effectiveness of The Orgamites Mighty Education Programme in promoting organ donation awareness.
Methods:
A literature review was conducted using predefined search strategies across multiple academic databases. The review focused on studies published between 2000 and 2025, analyzing different types of positive messaging and their impact on organ donation attitudes and behaviours. Inclusion criteria required studies to be peer-reviewed, focused on positive messaging, and written in English.
Results:
The findings indicate that positive, gain-framed messages are more effective than fear-based or loss-framed messaging in influencing attitudes toward organ donation. The study highlights the potential of narrative-driven, child-friendly campaigns like The Orgamites Mighty Education Programme to engage young audiences, foster open discussions, and reduce misconceptions. The concept of "Mighty Organs" reframes organ donation in a hopeful and empowering manner, making it more relatable and engaging.
Conclusions:
Positive messaging can transform organ donation education by shifting the focus from fear to empowerment. Programmes like The Orgamites Mighty Education Programme provide a promising model for fostering long-term pro-donation attitudes among children and adolescents. Future research should assess the long-term impact of such interventions on donor registration rates and explore strategies for integrating them into educational curricula and community outreach initiatives.
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Copyright
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