Conference Paper
Encouraging Organ Donation: Evidence from a Randomized Informational Intervention in Tunisia
No.
ERF32AC_16
Publisher
ERF
Date
May, 2026
Organ transplantation saves lives and improves the quality of life of patients who would otherwise depend on costly and invasive treatments. Technology is becoming available in low- and middle-income countries, but the gap between the demand for and the supply of organ transplants remains large. In a randomized controlled trial at a Tunisian university, we evaluate an expert-led intervention designed to inform about organ donation and strengthen trust in medical institutions. We find that the intervention significantly increases deceased organ donor registration among treated students. There is evidence for positive spillover effects on the control group. The survey data provides little support for changes in attitudes and social norms as potential mechanisms. Instead, it reveals large and statistically significant increases in medical and legal knowledge, religious beliefs supportive of donation, and institutional trust among treated students. Finally, we show that family attitudes strongly predict the actual decision to register as a donor. Targeting older segments of the population may further increase the impact and cost-effectiveness of this intervention.
Research Associates
Maleke Fourati
Visiting Professor, University of French Polynesia
Authors
Christina Sarah Hauser
Postdoctoral Researcher, Collegio Carlo Alberto, Turin, Italy