Direct and Indirect Effects of a Web-Based Educational and Communication Skills Intervention "Promotoras de Donación" to Increase Donor Designation in Latinx Communities: Evaluation Study.

BACKGROUND: Latinx populations are severely underrepresented among organ donors compared with the non-Hispanic White population. The Promotoras de Donación e-learning module was developed to train Latinx lay health educators (ie, promotoras) to discuss deceased organ donation and promote donor designation within their communities. OBJECTIVE: This paper described the results of 2 studies designed to assess the direct and indirect effects of the module on promotoras' and mature Latinas' organ donation and donor designation knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors. METHODS: In partnership with 4 community-based promotoras organizations, we designed 2 nonrandomized, quasiexperimental pragmatic studies to evaluate the Promotoras de Donación e-learning module, with participating promotoras and mature Latinas serving as their own controls. Brief surveys were administered to participating promotoras before and after module completion to assess changes in organ donation knowledge and support and communication confidence (study 1). Promotoras participating in the first study were asked to hold at least 2 group conversations about organ donation and donor designation with mature Latinas (study 2); paper-pencil surveys were completed by all participants before and after the group conversations. Descriptive statistics, means and SDs, and counts and percentages were used as appropriate to categorize the samples. Paired sample 2-tailed t test was used to assess changes in knowledge of and support for organ donation and confidence in discussing donation and promoting donor designation from pre- to posttest. RESULTS: Overall, 40 promotoras completed this module (study 1). Increases in organ donation knowledge (mean 6.0, SD 1.9 to mean 6.2, SD 2.9) and support (mean 3.4, SD 0.9 to mean 3.6, SD 0.9) were observed from pre- to posttest; however, these changes did not reach statistical significance. A statistically significant increase in communication confidence was found (mean 692.1, SD 232.4 to mean 852.3, SD 139.7; P=.01). The module was well received, with most participants deeming it well organized, presenting new information, and providing realistic and helpful portrayals of donation conversations. A total of 52 group discussions with 375 attendees were led by 25 promotoras (study 2). The trained promotora-led group discussions about organ donation resulted in increased support for organ donation in promotoras and mature Latinas from pre- to posttest. Knowledge of the steps to become an organ donor and belief that the process is easy to perform increased in mature Latinas from pre- to posttest by 30.7% and 15.2%, respectively. In total, 5.6% (21/375) of attendees submitted completed organ donation registration forms. CONCLUSIONS: This evaluation provides preliminary support for the module's direct and indirect effects on organ donation knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors. The need for additional modifications to and future evaluations of the module are discussed.

A Culturally Targeted eLearning Module on Organ Donation (Promotoras de Donación): Design and Development.

BACKGROUND: As an overrepresented population on the transplant waitlist, stagnated rates of organ donation registration among Latinxs must be redressed. Promotoras (community health workers), who are effective at advocating and spearheading health promotion efforts in the Latinx community, show promise in their ability to educate about organ donation and donor registration. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed (1) to develop an interactive, evidence-based program to educate promotoras about organ donation, the need for organ donors in the Latinx American community, and ways to register as deceased organ donors and (2) to train promotoras to lead discussions about organ donation and to promote the act of donor registration. METHODS: In partnership with 4 promotoras organizations, the culturally targeted Promotoras de Donación eLearning module was developed based on input from 12 focus groups conducted with Latina women (n=61) and promotoras (n=37). Formative work, existing literature, the Vested Interest Theory, and the Organ Donation Model guided curriculum development. In partnership with the Gift of Life Institute and regional promotoras, the curriculum was designed, filmed, and developed in a visually appealing module interface. The module was beta-tested with promotoras before launch. RESULTS: Promotoras de Donación, available in Spanish with English subtitling, lasts just over an hour. The module comprised 6 sections including various activities and videos, with the curriculum divided into a skills-based communication component and a didactic educational component. Pre- and posttests assessed the module's direct effects on promotoras' organ donation knowledge and attitudes as well as confidence promoting the act of donor registration. CONCLUSIONS: This novel, theoretically and empirically based intervention leveraged the existing network of promotoras to promote the act of donor registration. Future research should assess whether the module helps increase rates of donor registration within Latinx communities and reduce disparities in access to transplantation. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT04007419; https://www.clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04007419.