Medical Students' Attitude Toward Organ Donation: Understanding Reasons for Refusal in Order to Increase Transplantation Rates

Do the Compassion and Spirituality Levels of Turkish Nursing Students Influence their Attitudes Toward Organ Donation?

This study was a descriptive-correlational design which evaluated the relationship between compassion and spirituality levels and attitudes toward organ donation among Turkish nursing students. A sample of 296 participants studying in the nursing department of a foundation university in the spring semester of the 2021-2022 academic year was formed. A descriptive information form, Spirituality Scale, Compassion Scale, and Organ Donation Attitude Scale were used for data collection. Pearson correlation and multivariate regression analysis were used to evaluate scale scores. The compassion levels of students were high, their attitudes toward organ donation were positive and strong, and their level of spirituality ([Formula: see text]= 18.71 ± 6.10) was slightly above average. Higher levels of spirituality and compassion were positively correlated with positive attitudes toward organ donation (p < 0.05). The compassion and spirituality of nurses should be high for raising public awareness of organ donation.

A Multicentre Study of the Attitude of Medical Students towards Organ Donation and Transplantation in Poland

(1) The aim of the present study was to assess the effect of sociodemographic (age, sex, religion, place of residence) and university-related factors (university, year of studies) on the attitudes of students towards organ donation and transplantation. (2) Methods: The study was conducted on 1530 students from the Faculty of Medicine from three medical universities in Poland. The measurement tool was a validated questionnaire of attitude towards organ donation and transplantation (PCID-DTO RIOS: A questionnaire designed by the International Collaborative Organ Donation project about organ transplantation and donation). (3) Results: The completion rate was 88.10% (n = 1348). The vast majority declared a willingness to donate their organs in the future (86.60%), and 31.71% had an organ donation card. It was found that place of residence (p = 0.018) and religion (p = 0.003) had a significant effect on the attitude towards transplantation. Age, sex, and year of the study were not found to have a statistically significant effect on the decision. (4) Conclusions: The present study demonstrates that medical students show a favourable attitude towards transplantation in the first year of their study, and their knowledge and positive tendencies increase in the final years of medical education.

Differences in Perspective Toward Organ Donation Between Second-Year and Final-Year Medical Students in a Thai Medical School

Medical students, as prospective physicians, should develop a good attitude toward organ donation since physicians can positively affect the decision to donate organs. This study compared perspectives toward organ donation between Thai second-year and final-year (sixth-year) medical students, and explored changes that might occur during medical school training. Second-year and final-year medical students at the Faculty of Medicine Siriraj Hospital, Mahidol University, were invited to participate in the survey. The demographic data of the participants were collected and the attitudes toward organ donation were measured from the questionnaire. In total, 89 second-year and 60 final-year medical students voluntarily enrolled in the study. Nearly all the participating medical students supported organ donation and were willing to donate their organs after death. The majority of participants had a positive attitude toward organ donation in many perspectives, e.g., their beliefs, family issues, and donation procedure. There was a statistical difference between the proportion of second-year and final-year students who supported that a brain death condition is a true death (59.6% and 93.3%, respectively, p < 0.001) and who did not feel uncomfortable mentioning organ donation (82.0% and 96.7%, respectively, p = 0.007). In conclusion, there were significant differences in perspective between second-year and final-year students regarding brain death and discomfort perceived during organ donation-related situations. Experience gained during medical school could generate a more positive attitude toward organ donation. Therefore, medical schools play an essential role in nurturing a positive perspective toward organ donation in future physicians.

The willingness and attitudes of medical students regarding organ donation and transplantation: a cross-sectional study from Turkey

OBJECTIVE

Positive attitudes and motivation on the part of medical students concerning organ donation and transplantation are very important in terms of the growing need for these. This study aimed to evaluate the willingness and attitudes of medical students toward organ donation and transplantation.

METHODS

This cross-sectional study was performed at a state university in Turkey in February-March 2020. The questionnaire investigated sociodemographic characteristics and willingness toward organ donation and transplantation and contained the Organ Donation Attitude Scale.

RESULTS

A total of 309 medical students participated, of which 71.2% were willing to donate their organs. Medical students' willingness to donate organs increased depending on gender, academic year, receipt of education on the subject, discussing donation with family and friends, possession of an organ donation card, knowledge of the organ donation system, and willingness to receive organ donation if necessary. Positive attitudes toward organ donation increased after discussing the subject with family and friends, possessing an organ donation card, and knowing the path to be followed for organ donation.

CONCLUSION

Medical students exhibited high willingness and positive attitudes regarding organ donation and transplantation. However, education on the subject of organ donation and transplantation is needed.

Knowledge and attitude regarding organ donation among medical students in Hong Kong: a cross-sectional study

Objectives

The rate of organ donation in Hong Kong is among the lowest in developed regions. Since medical students will play an important role in counselling patients for organ donation and identifying potential donors in the future, their knowledge, attitudes and action for organ donation are important. This study aims to understand knowledge, attitudes and actions with regard to organ donation among medical students and investigate the factors determining the knowledge and attitudes.

Design

A cross-sectional study.

Setting and participants

Medical students in Hong Kong were invited to complete a questionnaire. 377 medical students participated in the study.

Methods

The questionnaire assessed their attitudes, knowledge, action of organ donation, belief and perception on organ donation, and other factors. Linear regression analyses and logistic regression were performed to analyse the effect of the variables on knowledge, attitudes and action for organ donation.

Results

Almost all medical students (99.5%) held a positive attitude towards organ donation, but only 28.1% have signed up as organ donors. Determinants of knowledge of organ donation included belief in preservation of intact body after death (β = –0.14, 95% CI = –0.24 to –0.04) and perceived confidence and competence of organ donation discussion (β = –0.12, 95% CI = –0.22 to –0.02). Predictors of organ donor registration status included knowledge of organ donation (OR=1.03, 95% CI=1.00 to 1.06), perceived convenience of organ donation registration (OR=3.75, 95% CI=1.62 to 8.71), commitment to organ donation (OR=3.81, 95% CI=2.01 to 7.21) and exposure to organ donation (OR=4.28, 95% CI=2.37 to 7.74).

Conclusions

Knowledge is positively associated with organ donation action. The above determinants of organ donation could be emphasised in medical education.

The Willingness to Donate Organs in Medical Students From an International Perspective: A Meta-Analysis

Attitude toward organ donation mobilizes donation behavior and makes transplant surgery possible. As future health professionals, medical students will be a relevant generating opinion group and will have an important role in the organ requesting process. The goals of this meta-analysis were to obtain polled rates of medical students who are in favor, against, or indecisive toward cadaveric organ donation in the studies conducted around the world, and to explore sociocultural variables influencing the willingness to donate. Electronic search and revision of references from previous literature allowed us to locate 57 studies fulfilling the inclusion criteria. Data extraction and risk of bias assessment were performed by two independent investigators. Pooled estimations were computed assuming a random-effects model. Despite the fact that willingness to donate was elevated in medical students, estimated rates in studies from different geographical areas and sociocultural backgrounds exhibited significant differences. The age and the grade of the students also influenced the rate of students in favor. Donation campaigns should take into account cultural factors, especially in countries where certain beliefs and values could hamper organ donation. Also, knowledge and skills related to organ donation and transplant should be acquired early in the medical curriculum when a negative attitude is less resistant to change.

Medical Students and Patients Benefit from Virtual Non-Medical Interactions Due to COVID-19

BACKGROUND

Patient care restrictions created by the COVID-19 pandemic constrained medical students' ability to interact directly with patients. Additionally, organ transplant recipients faced increasing isolation due to the rise of telemedicine, the importance of social distancing and their immunosuppressed state. We created a pilot program to pair students with transplant patients for structured, virtual encounters and studied its impact on medical students and patients.

METHODS

In May 2020, medical students conducted virtual visits with patients via telephone or video conferencing. Patients and students were surveyed regarding their experiences and independent focus groups were conducted. The survey responses and focus group discussions were deidentified, transcribed, and analyzed for themes.

RESULTS

Ten participating students were in their first, second, or final year of medical school. The 14 patients were liver or kidney transplant recipients or kidney donors. All interactions lasted longer than 30 minutes, with 56% greater than 1 hour. Three themes emerged related to the student experience: improvement of their clinical communication skills, development of knowledge and attitudes related to organ transplantation and donation, and independent management of a patient encounter. Three themes related to the patient experience: appreciation of the opportunity to share their personal patient experience to help educate future physicians, a cathartic and personally illuminating experience and an opportunity to share the message of donation.

CONCLUSIONS

This pilot program provided a novel opportunity for virtual student-patient interactions that was feasible, well-received, and mutually beneficial. The use of virtual non-medical patient experiences allowed for experiential learning during which students learned about both clinical medicine and enhanced their communication skills directly from patients. Additionally, patients were able to engage with medical students in a new way, as teachers of clinical interactions, and reported a high level of satisfaction in addition to deriving personal benefit.

Organ donation in the US and Europe: The supply vs demand imbalance

Organ donation and transplantation remain the best and most cost-effective clinical solution for end-stage organ failure. Several agencies across the US and Europe provide legislative, regulatory, and humanitarian services to generate smoother applications in all transplantation processes and donor-recipient relationships. US and European statistics present nine types of grafts, with kidneys being the most transplanted organ worldwide. However, organ shortage, religion, underrepresented minority groups, difficulties in obtaining consent, lack of understanding, and general ethical concerns present challenging barriers to organ donation, reflecting the complexity of graft procurement and allocation. Breaking down these barriers to reduce the organ-supply imbalance requires an appropriate multifaceted approach. Some of the key areas include increasing the potential donor pool and consent rates, apt organ allocation, and improving organ health. Additionally, suitable policies and standardized guidelines for both donors and recipients, alongside educational initiatives, are needed to ensure patient safety and global awareness. Looking forward, novel and effective research plans and initiatives are needed if we are to avoid a colossal supply-demand gap.

Survey on attitudes toward brain-dead and living donor transplantation in medical students: a cross-sectional study in Japan

BACKGROUND

Although a shortage in organ donation is a critical problem in Japan, understanding of and attitude toward organ transplantation in medical students have not been sufficiently reported.

METHODS

Between 2013 and 2018, we surveyed 702 medical students in the fifth-year clinical training in our urology department. The survey concerned (1) knowledge of Japanese transplantation law, which was amended in 2010, and (2) whether the respondents had an organ donor card and had agreed to be a brain-dead donor or a living donor in kidney transplantation with specific reasons for their choices.

RESULTS

All 702 students answered the survey. Of 657 students who provided valid answers to the first section, 402 (61%) recognized the amendment to the Japanese transplantation law, and only 11 (1.7%) fully understood its contents. Of 702 students, 194 (28%) had a donor card, 384 (55%) agreed to be a brain-dead donor, and 529 (75%) agreed to be a living donor in kidney transplantation. As the specific reasons for their choices, only a few medical students wrote reasons based on their medical standpoint, and more students wrote emotional reasons.

CONCLUSIONS

The understanding of and attitude toward organ transplantation were not remarkably high in the fifth-year medical students in Japan. To solve the donor shortage problem, education about organ transplantation may need to be more effective.

Attitude of Students in Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine Toward Donation After Cardiac Death

BACKGROUND

This study aimed to investigate the attitude of students at Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine toward organ transplantation and donation after cardiac death (DCD).

MATERIAL AND METHODS

A questionnaire including 16 single-choice questions about organ transplantation and donation was designed, and a survey was conducted using this questionnaire on 300 randomly selected respondents at Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China.

RESULTS

The ratio of male to female was 1:2.4. Of the participants, 98.1% had heard of organ transplantation, and 68.2% had received the information through network news. Only 10.6% expressed a positive attitude toward organ transplantation in China. Further, 39.8% of the participants were willing to donate their organs after death, while 51.9% of the participants hesitated because of perceived opacity in how donated organs were used. Even among those who did not share this concern, only 46.2% considered it. However, 80.7% were in favor of organ donation between relatives. Separately, 67.4% and 60.2% of the participants were interested in participating in activities and publicity related to organ donation, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

A majority of the participants had an understanding of organ transplantation and had obtained this information through media. Most showed a positive attitude toward donation between relatives, but only some of them indicated willingness to donate their organs. Generally, acceptance and awareness of organ transplantation need to be improved. Media outreach and education might have a profound influence.

Effects of humorous interventions on the willingness to donate organs: a quasi-experimental study in the context of medical cabaret

Background

It has been shown that fears and misconceptions negatively affect the willingness to donate organs. Empirical studies have examined health communication strategies that serve to debunk these fears. There are promising indications that humor has the potential to influence health-related attitudes and behaviors. This study examines empirically whether medical cabaret, as a specific format for delivering health-related information in a humorous way, affects the willingness to donate organs.

Methods

A quasi-experimental study was conducted among the audience of a medical cabaret live show. Participants in two intervention groups and one control group were interviewed just before the start of the live show (t₀) and about 6 weeks later (t₁). Intervention group 1 (I₁) witnessed a ten-minute sequence by the cabaret artist about organ donation. Participants in I₂ witnessed the sequence and, in addition, received an organ donor card. Descriptive statistics and t-tests were used to investigate changes in attitudes and the willingness to donate organs from t₀ to t₁.

Results

A significant increase in the willingness to donate organs and an improvement in general attitude was observed in the intervention groups. Moreover, significantly more participants in I₂ carried an organ donor card after the intervention. Some fears could be reduced, while understanding of the reasons for organ donation could be increased via the intervention.

Conclusions

The study confirms that medical cabaret is able to affect respondents’ attitudes and behaviors even in the context of organ donation. Medical cabaret can enhance the willingness to donate organs and dispel negative concerns.

Exploring Medical Students' Perceptions of Organ Procurement: Need for a Formalized Medical Student Curriculum

OBJECTIVE

We evaluated the medical student experience with a deceased-donor multiorgan procurement program at a single center. The program provided the opportunity to assist with organ procurement, but no formal curriculum was offered.

DESIGN, SETTING, PARTICIPANTS

In 2018, medical students who registered for the program between 2014 and 2017 completed a voluntary survey about the experience and its impact on surgery interest and organ donation knowledge and advocacy.

RESULTS

Of 139 respondents, 53.3% (N = 74) of students participated in at least one procurement. The experience was resoundingly positive: 81.7% (N = 58) believed it exceeded expectations, with less than one-third missing class and only 4.3% (N = 3) reporting a negative impact on academics. Although 60.6% (N = 43) students studied prior to procurement, 57.8% (N = 41) expressed the need for increased preparation. Preferred learning modalities included videos, discussion with the transplant fellows, and focused anatomy overview. Following participation, 53.5% (N = 38) of students had increased interest in pursuing an acting internship and career in surgery. However, participation was not associated with improved familiarity with organ donation concepts or advocacy.

CONCLUSIONS

Adding a structured curriculum may turn medical students from passive observers into active learners, maximizing the educational value of procurement and better equipping future providers to promote organ donation.