International multicenter opinion study: administrative personnel from Spanish and Mexican health centers faced with human organ donation for transplantation

Introduction

Administrative personnel from healthcare centers are an important opinion group given their direct relationship to patients and the general public.

Objective

The objective of this study was to analyze the attitudes of administrative personnel in Spanish and Mexican healthcare centers toward various kinds of donation.

Material and Methods

A random selection of 418 administrative staff from 32 primary care centers and 9 hospitals in Spain and Mexico (“Proyecto Donante, Murcia”) used a validated questionnaire to explore attitudes.

Results

Most (76%) respondents favored deceased donation. Mexican workers had the most favorable attitude (P < .001). Factors influencing this attitude (P < .05) were as follows: type of healthcare center, clinical service, personal experience of organ donation and transplantation (ODT), attitude toward living donation, attitude toward the donation of a family member's organs, discussion of ODT, partner's attitude toward ODT, participation in pro-social activities, and variables related to attitudes toward the body. Most respondents (89%) favored related living kidney donation (LKD) and 87% favored living liver donation (LLD). Mexican respondents showed the most favorable attitudes (P < .05). Factors influencing this attitude (P < .05) were as follows: personal experience of ODT, belief that a transplant is needed, willingness to accept a living organ, family discussion about ODT, partner's attitude about the matter, and respondent's awareness of the view of his or her religion toward ODT.

Conclusion

Attitudes toward deceased organ donation were not favorable among administrative personnel from Spanish compared with Mexican centers, although attitudes toward LKD and LLD were favorable in both countries.