Statistics Spouse to Spouse Kidney Donation Discussion

A friend of mine is an abdominal transplant specialist. That is, he specializes in kidney, pancreas and liver

transplants. After a few conversations with him, I became interested in the factors that affect the

survival rate of transplant recipients. 

For example, I read some information on http://www.transplantliving.org/ that survival is higher for the

recipient if the donor was living as opposed to receiving the organ from a cadaver.

Also, I read on one of the pages at this website that kidney transplant survival was higher for a spouse to

spouse transfer than for transplants between unrelated persons. As we discuss why statistics are useful

in decision-making, what statistics do you think are important to consider as to why the survival rate

was higher for spouse to spouse transfer?

Can you find any research that supports this claim or may help understand why this is the case? What

other variables do you think should be considered?

How could you use the test of hypothesis for a difference in two proportions (percentages, rates) to

establish a null and alternative hypothesis? Define each population and then state what you would test.

Which level of significance would you choose? Why?