Perceptions of a university's faculty members on organ donation

Natl Med J India. 2020 Sep-Oct;33(5):302-305. doi: 10.4103/0970-258X.317462.

Abstract

Background: . Availability of donated organs may save lives of people with end-stage disease. However, multiple barriers exist for obtaining donated organs such as insufficient knowledge and lack of a positive attitude towards organ donation. We assessed the knowledge and attitude regarding organ donation among faculty members of a university in India.

Methods: . We did this observational, cross-sectional study from December 2017 to January 2018. A structured, close-ended questionnaire consisting of 20 items was used to assess knowledge, attitude and practices regarding organ donation. Data for 170 participants were analysed using SPSS version 21. Unpaired t-test was used to compare the knowledge and attitude score among different variables.

Results: . A statistically significant difference was found between the attitude score of graduate and postgraduate faculty (p=0.003), as well as between graduate and doctoral faculty (p=0.001). We found that 5.3% of participants had already donated organs, 12.9% had pledged to donate and 63.5% of participants had expressed willingness to donate organs.

Conclusions: . There is a need to increase the knowledge regarding organ donation as most people have a good attitude towards organ donation, but their knowledge was insufficient and at times inaccurate.

Publication types

  • Observational Study

MeSH terms

  • Cross-Sectional Studies
  • Faculty
  • Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice
  • Humans
  • Perception
  • Surveys and Questionnaires
  • Tissue and Organ Procurement*
  • Universities*