Cultural Attitudes towards Death Practices, the Body after Death and Life after Death in Deceased Organ Donation - A UK Polish Migrant Perspective

Previous studies have found the perception of the body and death practices can have an influence on perceptions of deceased organ donation. This is the first study in the UK to investigate the views of the Polish migrants, a fast growing community, toward organ donation, death practices and the deceased body. In total, there were 31 participants that took part in the study in one-to-one interviews or small focus group interviews that lasted approximately 11⁄2 hours. The majority were conducted in English and 1 focus group and 7 interviews were in Polish. The interviews were recorded with permission from the participant, transcribed and analysed using grounded theory analysis. Participants believed the body was seen to be useful for others in need of organs after the individual had died. Families were thought to struggle with saying ‘goodbye’ if it was perceived the deceased individual was to ‘live on’ in the recipient. Participants highlighted that within Polish culture, funerals were organised quickly and opencasket burials were common, however these practices would not hinder donation. Being aware of this community's perspective may aid healthcare professionals when discussing deceased organ donation with potential donor families.