Organ Donor Data in Driving Licenses: Challenges and Opportunities

This literature review explores the integration of organ donor information within driving licenses, examining its impact on organ donation rates and public awareness. The review analyzes studies conducted in various regions, including Saudi Arabia and the UK, highlighting the importance of public cognizance, support, and active participation. It discusses the challenges and opportunities associated with incorporating organ donation options into driving license procedures, such as addressing religious beliefs, physician unwillingness, and the need for standardized criteria for brain death. The review emphasizes the role of education, awareness campaigns, and the influence of cultural and ethical factors on the willingness to donate. Additionally, the study investigates barriers to organ transplantation like organ shortages and the impact of health issues such as AIDS and STDs. The review concludes by suggesting that Saudi Arabia should follow the steps to incorporate the organ donation and transplantation checkbox in DL of people of their country.

Running head: ORGAN DATA IN DRIVING LICENSE
ORGAN DONOR DATA IN DRIVING LICENSE
Name of Student:
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Literature review
The development of organ donation in 21st century has been amazing attainment. The
patients who are suffering from end-stage organ failure, organ donation is the only effective
method to give a new life to the patient. The success of organ transplantation principally depends
on three factors based on public cognizance, support and active participation. Saudi centre for organ
transplantation (SCOT) got established the year 1984 which focus on the work of organs
transplantation in Saudi Arabia. However, it has not reached a high level, in spite of its colossal
effort.
AlHabeeb et al. (2017), conducted a survey with limited number of people (1250
participants joined the survey) in 18 different cities of Saudi Arabia, to understand the attitude of
people regarding the concept of organ donation and transplantation. He used questionnaire
method of survey and interpreted the result, which stated that approximately 90% of the
population agreed with the idea of organ transplantation without any specification, as it is a
humane act of saving lives. From the result, it was understood that the population was accepting
the idea of organ transplantation and were eager to donate, but still, some proportion of the
people held reservations towards heart donation.
Almufleh et al. (2018) also surveyed with questionnaire approach among the general
people of Saudi Arabia in cities of Riyadh and Jeddah with 2596 participants, with aim to
identify the intellectuality of people regarding the concept organ transplantation and donation in
Islam. The outcome noticed 70% unawareness among the people and only 30% of the people
were knowing relation to it. The above findings were mostly acquired from single-interior and
enclosed minor non-representative trials, which highlighted the necessity for more significant

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study to create an enhanced understanding on the rates of organ donation cognizance, willingness
to be an organ donor, and attentiveness of the Islamic opinion.
AlHejaili, Almalik and Albrahim (2018) has conducted a cross-sectional survey approach
was conducted with 821 respondents and the result was analyzed, which stated that a majority of
the participants supported the ODT, but a significant proportion of the participants had a contrary
belief and approach towards ODT. A comparative analysis of both views was done, in order to
reflect the mentality of people about organ donation and transplantation. AlShareef and Smith
(2018) in his article recommended that educating medical students for achieving a high rate of
organ donation can be the changing point for Saudi Arabia. He further, stated that the method
could be useful in bringing a positive attitude towards organ transplantation and donation in
Saudi Arabia. However, the finding also suggested that many people disagree with the theory
because they do not want their close one to get into this due to personal wish and even belief that
every person either death or live, should be respected. Thus, this finding has highlighted a barrier
to organ donation and transplantation.
Arredondo et al. 2018 explained the idea of using two models developed under the
Ministry of Health of Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) with the assistance of Saudi Centre for
Organ Transplantation (SCOT) to increase the donation rate in Saudi Arabia with a 3-year
project. The study focused on the way to improve the donation and transplantation (D&T) rates
by applying an organ donation superiority organization system grounded on the execution of the
supreme effective models in organ donation (SEUSA) and quality systems (ODEQUS). The
result showed increase in number of deceased donors from 92 in 2016 to 150 in 2017. 265 organ
transplantation was conducted. The study also finds shortage of organ as another barrier to low
transplantation rate in Saudi Arabia. However, practical implication of the above methodologies

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still lacked behind, as it was a conceptual project with no practical consequence. Hafzalah et al.
2014 also intended to evaluate the enthusiasm of migrated Saudi Muslims in America to be a
potential organ donor and to define the probable religious obstacles relating to organ donation by
evaluating a brief spiritual, educational intervention with 285 participants. He conducted a face-
to-face survey with 81% of the positive response from the participants. Hence suggesting that
education may expand the knowledge of organ donation between the Muslim communal.
In the UK, 90% of people are interested and support organ donation. However, only 29%
have registered themselves as donor in their driving license (Coad, Carte and Ling 2013). Driver
and vehicle licensing agency scheme in UK have noticed more than 8 million registrations to
NHS organ donation since 1994 (Porter et al. 2014). From the research, it was founded that new
driver needs to answer all the question regarding organ donation and before completion of their
licensing procedure. They have to tick on the donation section form in order to get the checkbox
in their driving license. This agreement will ask their personal consent for the approval. If the
person gives their permission he will become an authorized donor which will reflect in his DL
card. This is the simple procedure to include checkbox for organ donation (Trimble et al. 2013).
Saudi Arabia should follow these steps to incorporate the organ donation and transplantation
checkbox in DL of people of their country. However, many people ignore the donation section.
DL can be the good mean to find the number of donor; however, still, this requires to spread
awareness about the donation and transplantation program through educating the current and
coming generation (Sehgal et al. 2016).
Finding says that due to nonexistence of standard criteria for brain death and norms for
donation all over the globe has limited the number of potential donors (Napier 2013). Through
peer-reviewed journal, significant barrier to organ donation has been identified. Different

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meaning of brain death in various clinic, racial and religious beliefs, physician unwillingness and
own personal greediness, misunderstanding about the process of organ donation in community
are some of the barrier identified by research article (Morgan et al. 2013).
Other countries are focusing on improving the mentality of people through educating
medical students and patients. A research was conducted which included 200 medical students
and the patients of a dental hospital. The study was based on the structure of qualitative data,
which included interview and survey regarding organ donation and transplantations. The students
and patient were given knowledge about the benefit of organ donation. The result showed that
74.6% of medical student was convinced with the concept. However, religious barrier still
existed and rested 25% are not convinced to donate the organs (Chakradhar et al. 2016).
Apart from many barriers to organ transplantation, various people cannot receive
transplantation due to health issue in which mismatching or organ can be the primary cause. Like
people with AIDS and STDs, organ transplantation will make no sense for their treatment
(Hanghøj and Boisen 2014). Another study also says that many low-income group people cannot
afford the cost for organ transplantation as because in hospital the charge of any particular organ
is high (Tushla et al. 2015). This study has analyzed the barrier, as physician and hospital are
more toward professionalism rather than a social helper.
Another study has dealt with the issue that says, getting a healthy organ is a matter of
concern rather than the obstacle to this. Due to different lifestyle of people, their organ function
is the difference. Many people travel outside to get organ transplanted however in study of
Ambagtshee, Zaitch and Weimar (2013) shown that they are more prone to risk of disease as the
lifestyle of abroad people is highly affluent which might affect their body organ. The study also

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concludes by saying that 40% of people transplantation is successful if the organ is of local
person. The reason is that they have same kind of lifestyle and exposure.
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Chakradhar, K., Doshi, D., Reddy, B.S., Kulkarni, S., Reddy, M.P. and Reddy, S.S., 2016.
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