Documented Skeletal Collections and Their Importance in Forensic Anthropology in the United States

Documented skeletal collections are the backbone of forensic anthropology due to their associated biohistories. This paper describes the identified skeletal collections and their relevance in forensic anthropological research, education and training in the US. The establishment of documented skeletal collections in the US can be distinguished into two modus operandi, depending on the stance towards the dead, legislation, and medical and forensic practices. In the 19th and early 20th centuries, anatomists amassed skeletons from cadaver dissections, shaped by European influences. Those skeletons compose the anatomical collections—such as the Robert J. Terry Anatomical Collection—predominantly representing impoverished and unclaimed individuals. Ethical concerns for the curation and research of African American skeletons without family consent are growing in the US. In contrast, since the 1980s, modern documented skeletal collections originated from body donations to human taphonomy facilities, such as the William M. Bass Donated Skeletal Collection. The establishment and testing of osteological methods essential to establish one’s identity—such as age at death and sex—have been developed with skeletons from documented collections. Therefore, the analysis of identified skeletons has been crucial for the development of forensic anthropology in the US.

Evaluating the Impact of COVID-19 Pandemic on Organ Donation and Transplantation Activities in Iran

Background: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has had a great impact on reducing organ transplantation activities. Objectives: The aim of this study was to determine the donation and transplantation activities before and after COVID-19 outbreak in Iran. Methods: This retrospective study compared the donation and transplantation activities in two specific 9-month periods (December 2018 to March 2019 vs. March-December 2020). The questionnaire included the numbers of brain death confirmations, family consents, organ recoveries, and transplanted solid organs. The questionnaire was sent by email to the chief executive of the organ procurement unit. Results: A total of 15 organ procurement units responded to the survey. The largest reduction was seen in tissue transplantations (62.5%) during two time intervals. Brain death due to head trauma significantly decreased in two time intervals and suicide increased by 14.44% during the COVID-19 pandemic compared to 2018-2019 period. Significant reductions between the median of donation (P = 0.0187), median of potential donor (P = 0.005), median of family consent (P = 0.002), and median of eligible donor (P = 0.009) were observed during the two time periods. Conclusions: A significant reduction was observed in organ donation and transplantation during COVID-19 pandemic. Developing protocols and establishing new strategies for evaluation of organ donation to ensure the safety of organ recipients and medical staff is necessary.

Young people’s views on how to encourage family discussion about organ donation

Context: Discussing organ donation wishes with family prior to receiving a request for donation is essential to increase family consent. For young people who have already decided to be a donor (‘young donors’), notifying family is particularly critical. However, many young donors are unaware of the need for this discussion, have low motivation to discuss, and have not notified family of their wishes. Objectives: To explore young donors’ views on, experience with, and suggestions to encourage family discussion, and opinions about advertising/social marketing campaign materials.Participants: Young donors, who were Australian residents (N = 13; 10 females) aged 18-28 years (M = 23.00; SD = 2.74), participated in one of four focus groups. Results: Motivations for family discussion were having their wishes respected by family and reducing family distress. Barriers to discussing were not thinking about it and forgetting unless an immediate opportunity for discussion was provided. Young donors had different approaches to initiating family discussion depending on anticipated family reactions and confidence in discussing; straightforward (‘just say it’) and casual (‘no big deal’) or involving preparation and in-depth discussion. Campaign materials including information and personal stories about transplant recipients were perceived as effective in capturing attention and encouraging family discussion. Conclusions: Gaining the perspective of young donors to encourage family discussion is crucial. Key findings highlighted the need to consider young donors’ approaches to initiating family discussion and incorporating prompts and opportunities to facilitate family discussion in the development of future message appeals.

Developing persuasive message appeals to encourage young people to discuss their organ donation wishes with family

Many young donors (i.e., young people who wish to donate organs upon death) are unaware of the need for family discussion to increase the likelihood of family consent for donation. They have low motivation to discuss and have not notified family of their wishes. We addressed a gap in existing research by developing and piloting six persuasive message appeals targeted specifically at young donors to encourage family discussion about donation. Young donors, who were Australian residents (7 females, 2 males) aged 21-25 years (M = 23.00; SD = 1.73), participated in qualitative interviews. Participants commented on their reactions to each message appeal, message effectiveness, and preferred appeals. Responses to message appeals were mixed. Mixed reactions were reflected in preferences for solely positive appeals or both positive and negative. Some participants felt negative emotional appeals were more impactful and memorable. Reactions to the provision of strategies to aid actual discussion (i.e., what to say, when to discuss, reminder prompts) in messages were guided by young donors’ views of family discussion as either ‘no big deal’ or requiring preparation. Participants believed that including scenarios in which a person makes a donation decision for themselves or a loved one was thought provoking, motivating, and clearly conveyed the impact of the choice not to discuss on others. The four preferred message appeals included equal numbers of messages with positive and negative framing, high and low/no strategy, and individual vs. other perspective. Future piloting of these message appeals with a larger audience of young donors will determine message effectiveness in encouraging family discussion.

‘Would you like to join the NHS Organ Donor Register?’ A general practice feasibility study

BackgroundA shortage of organ donors exists in the UK and targeting family consent is key for increasing donation consent rates. Registration on the NHS Organ Donor Register (NHS ODR) facilitates this, as it guides families on their loved ones donation preference. In general practice, an opportunity to register is provided, however only to new patients. To improve access to registration opportunities, an intervention was designed where general practice staff asked their patients if they wished to register as an organ donor.AimTo assess an organ donation registration intervention for feasibility and acceptability in a UK general practice setting.MethodOne general practice, in Luton, UK, conducted the intervention for 3 months (April to July 2018). Training was held in March 2018, and leaflets and posters were displayed for the 3-month period. An embedded experimental mixed-methods design was used, with data collected via SystmONE questionnaires, surveys and focus groups.ResultsThe intervention was found to be feasible and acceptable to conduct with some patients by some staff members. During the 3 months, patients were asked in 12.4% of face-to-face consultations (n=812). Nurses and healthcare assistants were more able to conduct the intervention than doctors. Lack of time, telephone consultations, and it not being appropriate were the most common reasons for not asking. Finally, 244 patients joined the NHS ODR; 30.4% of those asked.ConclusionThis study demonstrates that general practice could be a feasible location in which an intervention designed to increase NHS ODR registration could be conducted