Understanding of and attitudes to organ donation and transplantation: a survey among Italian university students

BACKGROUND: Students have a positive attitude to organ donation and transplantation, usually associated with their personal willingness to donate their organs after death. The aim of this study was to evaluate the opinions of university students on transplantation and organ donation, at a single Italian university. METHODS: University undergraduates attending the first year on five different courses in 2001 were surveyed at Padua University by using an anonymous 13-item questionnaire. RESULTS: 97.2% of the students completed the questionnaire (77.4% females, mean age 20.4 yr); they were attending Medicine (33.8%), Agriculture (5.9%), Veterinary Medicine (11.4%), Psychology (18.5%) and Educational Sciences (30.4%). The majority was aware of the problem of the paucity of organ donations and deaths on the waiting list in Italy. Most students would accept transplantation in the case of a human donor (97%), an artificial organ (95%) or an animal donor (76%); and 87% of them were prepared to donate their own organs after death. No differences were seen when students attending science courses were compared with those attending art courses. Italian university students have a very positive attitude and willingness to donate their own organs after death, with no differences emerging as regards type of university education.     

Knowledge about transplantation and attitudes toward organ donation: a survey among medical students in northeast Brazil

During the registration for the second semester of 2002, 779 of the 1001 students from the Medical School, Federal University of Bahia, Brazil, answered an anonymous multiple-choice questionnaire including demographic variables, knowledge about transplantation issues, and willingness to donate organs. Mean age was 21.9 +/- 2.9 years (range: 17 to 51 years); 59.5% were men. Regarding the knowledge of which organs and tissues could be transplanted, 99.1% answered kidneys, 96.1% heart, 88.2% liver, 41.1% lung, 24.0% pancreas, 9% bowel, 98.3% corneas, 89.5% bone marrow, 38.1% heart valves, 47.7% skin, and 18.5% bone and tendons. Regarding the criteria of death, 82.4% answered that it is the lack of all brain activity, 8.2% cardiac arrest, 5.2% irreversible coma, and 4.2% did not know. As to the Brazilian transplantation law, 47.3% did not know, 51% had heard about it, and 1.7% answered that they knew the law in detail. As to the willingness to donate organs, 538 (69.2%) were donors. Of 239 nondonors, 51.1% answered the reason for not donating was the lack of confidence in the heath system, 14.3% had no knowledge of the matter, 17.7% were concerned about organ removal before brain death, and 1.7% for religious reasons. The percentage of those willing to donate organs was greater among spiritualists than among Catholics and Protestants. The results of this study support a greater emphasis on providing information regarding transplantation in medical schools to improve the knowledge of future heath care professionals about transplantation and organ donation issues.     

济南市护士及护生器官捐献认知水平及意愿

目的了解护士及护生对器官捐献的认知情况及意愿,分析影响护士的影响因素。方法采用自制量表对济南市2所省级、3所市级医院的401名护士及护生进行调查。结果护士及护生对器官捐献知识得分为(12.34±3.19)分;113人愿意捐献自己的器官;其中30人已在国家器官捐献网站进行登记。单因素分析显示,所在科室,身边有人捐献过器官以及在工作中参与过器官捐献是影响护士及护生自身器官捐献意愿的重要因素(P0.05,P0.01)。结论护士及护生对器官捐献相关知识的了解仍处于较低水平,医院开展培训课程有利于提高医护人员积极参与器官捐献相关工作的意愿。     

A Swedish survey of young people's views on organ donation and transplantation

The aim of this study is to explore young people's attitudes, beliefs, and knowledge on organ donation and transplantation. A survey was conducted among 1,447 students aged 15-18 years in four urban areas in Sweden. Although students looked upon organ transplantation favorably, only 50% were willing to donate their own organs, and only 20% the organs of their parents. Concerning organ donation, 75% of the students expressed some discomfort. There were significant gender differences. About 70% of the students indicated that transplantation issues should be included in the school curriculum. It is concluded that teenagers feel irresolution and discomfort regarding organ donation after death, but concurrently see organ transplantation as a highly valued service. One way that this mental conflict can be resolved is through education. Educational programs in school must address this ambivalence and both mediate facts and help students to work through the fear and discomfort associated with organ donation.     

Attitude toward organ donation: a survey in Pakistan

This study was conducted to get an insight into the knowledge, attitude, and practices of the people of Pakistan regarding organ donation (OD), and to understand the various factors that influence these. Systematic sampling was used to generate a sample size of 357. Data collection was carried out via a questionnaire in the outpatient units of our hospital. All kinds of medical and surgical patients were interviewed. Knowledge of ODs that occur in Pakistan and the rest of the world was found to be 65.5 and 72.8%, respectively. The percentage of those willing to donate their organ/s was 59.9%. Knowledge of OD was significantly associated with education and socioeconomic status. Willingness to donate had a significant association with gender. It also had a moderate association with education and socioeconomic status. Awareness of OD and the knowledge that OD can save lives was also significantly associated with the willingness to donate.     

美国器官捐献和移植立法主要事件

1968年哈佛大学提出“脑死亡定义”1968年《人体器官捐献法》对以移植为目的的器官和组织捐献进行了法律规范 1971年修订《人体器官捐献法》，赋予器官捐献卡片法律效力     

Attitudes toward organ donation: a survey on Iranian teachers

Background

Organs from brain dead patients are the main source for transplantation. However, in most societies, including Iran, the family consent rate for organ donation is low necessitating improvements in public knowledge. Because teachers' knowledge has an important role to educate the next generations, this study assessed their knowledge and attitudes about brain death and organ donation.

Methods

The present cross-sectional study included, 93 teachers selected from eight schools in Tehran, Iran, in 2009. We used a standardized questionnaire containing items which inquired about knowledge and attitudes of the participants regarding brain death and organ donation.

Results

The mean age of the participants was 37 years and 48 (52%) were males. Eighty-seven (94%) of them had heard or read about organ donation, among whom 91% favored organ donation. The main sources of their information were television, radio, and newspapers. Sixty-five (70%) were willing to donate their own organs after death. Those with lower organ donation desire were in contact with a small number of patients who have chronic diseases, had less trust in organ donation networks and brain death diagnostic tools, expressed less desire to receive an organ, and had a low record of blood donation (P < 0.05).

Conclusion

Our findings show that although most teachers had heard or read about brain death and organ donation, and approved of organ donation after death, a lack of exposure to patients with chronic diseases and a distrust of organ donation networks were greater among teachers with a lower desire to participate in this effort. Therefore, building trust in brain death diagnostic systems is necessary together with relevant educational programs.     

本科护生器官捐献认知与意愿调查及影响因素分析

目的 调查本科护生器官捐献认知与意愿并分析其影响因素,为制定提升护生捐献意愿策略提供参考。方法 采用方便抽样法及自制问卷对367名在校本科护生进行调查。结果 护生器官捐献知识总分为2（1,3）分,愿意、不确定、不愿意器官捐献的比例为46.0%、33.0%、21.0%;促进护生器官捐献的主要因素是“帮助被疾病折磨的患者,让自己的生命更有价值”（58.3%）,阻碍其捐献的主要因素是“担心遗体不被尊重或被他人用于牟利”（32.2%）;年级、自我评价和当志愿者宣传的意愿是器官捐献知识得分的独立影响因素,性别、对家人捐献态度及当志愿者宣传意愿是护生捐献意愿的影响因素（P＜0.05,P＜0.01）。结论 护生的器官捐献知识得分和意愿都有较大的提升空间,应多路径加强器官捐献知识的宣教,完善捐献善后机制,促进捐献意愿的确立,提高捐献率。     

Knowledge, attitudes and commitment toward organ donation among nursing students in Hong Kong

Background

Organ donation is the major component for transplant programs; however, the rate of organ donation is relatively low in Asia. Therefore, understanding the attitude and knowledge of individuals that affect their willingness to commit as an organ donor is crucial to develop effective educational programs that raise public awareness and commitment toward organ donation. The current study aims to identify the knowledge level, attitude, and commitment toward organ donation among nursing students in a local university.

Methods

A questionnaire was developed and distributed to all full-time nursing students of undergraduate and master programs in a university at Hong Kong.

Results

A total of 362 students completed the questionnaire, including 87 males and 257 females. The mean age of the students was 22.6 years. A total of 147 students (40.6%) had registered for organ donation. Students on average could correctly answer 23.7 out of 33 questions (71.8%) regarding their knowledge on organ donation and transplantation. With regard to attitude toward organ donation, students obtained a mean score of 70.2. Univariate analysis revealed that year of study, religion, and attitude were significantly associated with commitment toward organ donation. In logistic regression analysis, year of study (odds ratio [OR] for year 2, 1.961, 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.006-3.824; OR for year 3, 6.915, 95% CI, 2.835-16.868; and OR for year 4, 4.845, 95% CI, 2.071-11.334) and attitude (OR, 1.087, 95% CI, 1.049-1.126) were significantly associated with commitment toward donation after adjusting the age, gender, and study program.

Conclusion

Attitude and year of study were strongly correlated with commitment toward organ donation; therefore, educational or promotional materials should be provided to improve the attitude of students toward organ donation.