Concordance of Organ Donation and Other Altruistic Behaviors Among Twins.

INTRODUCTION

Organ donation and other altruistic behaviors may be influenced by multiple factors, such as demographic characteristics, religious beliefs, and social norms.

RESEARCH QUESTION: What is the role of genetic factors on altruism in identical and fraternal twin pairs?

DESIGN

Twins attending a twin festival (N = 296) completed an organ donation and altruistic behavior survey.

RESULTS

Concordance for stage of change for organ donation was 65% among identical twin pairs versus 33% among fraternal twin pairs (P = .004). Concordance was higher among identical versus fraternal twin pairs for several altruistic behaviors, including giving directions to a stranger (63% vs 24%, P < .001), giving money to a stranger (51% vs 29%, P = .048), donating goods to charity (46% vs 16%, P = .005), and offering a seat on the bus (46% vs 24%, P = .04).

DISCUSSION: We conclude that genetic factors may play a role in decisions about organ donation and other altruistic behaviors.