Sensitization Toward Organ Donation Among Medical Students in Spanish Regions With More Than 50 Donors Per Million Population

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.

Attitudes Toward Organ Donation: Differences Between Medical and Nursing Andalusian Students

INTRODUCTION

A favorable attitude toward organ donation and transplantation (ODT) is fundamental among health professionals at the time of transplant promotion. In this sense, the training and awareness of professionals are fundamental.

OBJECTIVE

To analyze the differences in the attitude toward ODT and the factors that condition it among Andalusian medical and nursing students.

METHODS AND DESIGN

The study is a sociologic, multicenter, observational study. The population includes medical and nursing students in Andalusian universities. Database of the Collaborative International Donor Project is used and data are stratified by geographic area and academic course. The instrument of measurement was a validated questionnaire (PCID-DTO-RIOS) that was handed out to every student in a compulsory session. Completion of the questionnaire was anonymous and self-administered. The sample included Andalusian medical and nursing students (99% confidence and precision of ±1%) stratified by geographic area and year of study.

RESULTS

There was a completion rate of 91%; 79% (n = 2879) of Andalusian students were in favor of donation and 21% were not in favor. The attitude toward ODT is more favorable in medical compared with nursing students (80% vs 77%; P = .021). The psychosocial profile toward donation is similar in both groups relating to the following variables (P < .05): knowing a transplant patient, having received information about the subject, attitude toward family donation, and having discussed transplantation with family and friends.

CONCLUSION

Andalusian medical students favored organ donation more than Andalusian nursing students, and the favorable attitude is associated with having an awareness of the subject.