A scoping review of the present condition of organ donation among Chinese citizens and its influencing factors

Objective This study aims to systematically analyse the current status of post-mortem organ donation among Chinese citizens and its influencing factors through a scoping review. It also seeks to identify the characteristics and gaps in existing research and provide evidence to inform policy directions for strengthening China’s organ donation system and improving organ donation practices. Methods Guided by the scoping review methodology framework proposed by Arksey and O’Malley, a systematic search and screening of Chinese and English databases—including PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, CNKI, Wanfang, and VIP—was conducted to collect relevant articles on post-mortem organ donation. The search period spanned from the inception of the databases to 1 May 2025. Thematic analysis was employed to categorise and analyse the literature data. Results A total of 19 articles were ultimately included, from which six themes influencing organ donation were identified: socio-demographics, social environment, legal systems, healthcare systems, individual cognition and attitudes, and public awareness and education. Conclusion Compared with other countries, the willingness to donate organs after death among Chinese citizens is relatively low, and the overall donation rate urgently needs to be improved. Future research should focus on identifying key factors influencing donation willingness, developing standardised assessment tools, and strengthening qualitative research to gain a deeper understanding of the decision-making processes of potential donors. On this basis, targeted assessment and intervention strategies should be formulated to effectively increase organ donation rates and optimise the development of the system. Systematic review registration https://doi.org/10.17605/OSF.IO/7G5RM .