Knowledge and Attitudes About Solid Organ Transplantation for People With HIV in Australia: A Cross-Sectional Survey of People With and Without HIV.

OBJECTIVE

People with HIV (PWH) experience disparate access to solid organ transplantation (SOT), with multiple barriers reported. This study aimed to assess the knowledge and attitudes toward organ receipt and donation for PWH among people with and without HIV in the Australian setting.

DESIGN

Cross-sectional, online survey, developed by multidisciplinary group of HIV and transplant clinicians, and HIV community members.

METHODS

The survey was hosted in Qualtrics and available through link or quick-response code. We surveyed PWH and people without HIV (PWoH) with chronic comorbidities who were likely to require future SOT in Australia. The survey included up to 60 multiple choice and 5-point Likert scale questions, assessing knowledge, perceptions, motivations, and concerns around SOT. Results were compared between PWH and PWoH (controls).

RESULTS

Participants included 122 PWH, and 53 PWoH with advanced comorbidities. Fewer PWH than controls believed they would be eligible to receive an organ to prolong their life (51% vs 87%, P < 0.001) or were eligible to donate (40% vs 68%, P = 0.002) or were registered as donors (22% vs 44%, P = 0.01). PWH were more willing to be deceased donors (96% vs 82%, P = 0.002), but not living donors (71% vs 76%, P = 0.53). PWH reported HIV superinfection (n = 45, 40%) as the main concern about organ receipt from a PWH. PWoH were most concerned about HIV acquisition (n = 18, 40%) and safety of SOT from PWH (n = 16, 35%), but 24.5% PWoH were willing to accept an organ from a PWH with an undetectable viral load.

CONCLUSIONS

Awareness of the ability of PWH to both receive and donate organs is limited. Opportunities exist to improve knowledge and overcome misconceptions about SOT for PWH in Australia.