Factors Associated With Medical and Nursing Students' Willingness to Donate Organs

A 25-year scoping review of the organ donation system in Malaysia: past, present, and future

Organ donation and transplantation are integral components of modern medicine. This scoping review thoroughly explores the historical evolution, current status, and future prospects of organ donation and transplantation in Malaysia. Historically, Malaysia faced significant challenges in establishing a robust organ transplantation system, with various factors hindering organ donation efforts. Currently, Malaysia continues to struggle with stagnant donation rates despite collaborative efforts from various sectors. There is an urgent need to amend the 50-year-old Human Tissue Act to strengthen the legal framework for organ donation and address ethical concerns. Looking to the future, Malaysia could adopt a soft opt-out system and prioritize advancements in organ preservation techniques by exploring new sources of organs through the donation after circulatory death program. Continued efforts are necessary to enhance education programs for professionals and the public, dispelling myths about organ donation and effectively educating on the concepts of brain death. Malaysia strives to create a more accessible future for organ transplantation, aligning with the Sustainable Development Goals to reduce the burden of organ failure and improve the population's health and well-being.

Knowledge, Attitudes and Intention to Donate Organs among the Public, Health Sciences Students and Health Personnel: A Scoping Review with a Systematic Review of Malaysian Studies

Background

Various barriers lead to a shortage of organs for transplantation in Malaysia. One drive to improve the organ donation rate operates through future healthcare practitioners and practitioner advocacy. This scoping review was carried out to establish and summarise findings about organ donation-related articles among the public, health sciences students and health personnel. A further aim was to synthesise the latest data on knowledge and attitudes towards organ donation in the Malaysian population.

Methods

PubMed, Scopus, Google Scholar and the Malaysian Medical Repository (MyMedR) were used for a search conducted up to May 2022. Relevant search terms included 'Organ donation' and 'Malaysia'. Journal articles related to knowledge, attitudes and intention were grouped under the general public and health science. Students and health personnel were included. Eligible studies were reviewed by two independent reviewers. Any disagreements were resolved by consensus with a third reviewer.

Results

The 31 included articles revealed an increased level of awareness among the public regarding organ donation. The analysis identified that nonrecognition of brainstem death (38.5%), no knowledge of how to contact the Organ Transplant Coordinator (82.3%) and never approaching the families of a potential donor (63.9%) led to a lack of confidence among healthcare practitioners to promote organ donation.

Conclusion

The shortage of organ donors is the result of the failure to identify the expected donor, obtain consent and procure the organs due to the passivity of Malaysian health professionals in promoting the organ donation process.

Attitudes of Future Nurses and Midwives On Organ Donation and Transplantation and Affecting Factors: A Cross-Sectional Study

OBJECTIVES

The objective of this study was to assess the attitudes of undergraduate nursing and midwifery students toward organ donation and identify the factors that influence these attitudes.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The study was conducted at Burdur Mehmet Akif Ersoy University, Bucak School of Health, in Turkey. A total of 700 students participated in the study, representing 88.49% of the population. Online forms were used for data collection, and the Organ Donation Attitude Scale was used as a data collection tool.

RESULTS

Our results showed that 47.9% of the students had not expressed a desire to donate their organs, and only 0.1% reported having donated organs. Additionally, 41.4% of the participants did not share their thoughts on organ donation with their families. Our study also found that 87.4% of the participants had not participated in any training program on organ donation. Logistic regression analysis revealed that factors such as students' sex, progress toward completion of curriculum (ie, class year), presence of a family member with organ transplant experience, organ donation status, and knowledge of organ donation influenced the participants' attitudes toward organ donation.

CONCLUSIONS

This study highlights the need for health care professionals, including nursing students, to be educated and prepared to promote and support organ donation. By understanding the factors that influence attitudes, interventions and educational programs can be developed to improve organ donation rates and address misconceptions or concerns among nursing students.

Moderating Role of Religiosity and the Determinants to Attitude, Willingness to Donate and Willingness to Communicate Posthumous Organ Donation Decisions among University Students in Pakistan

Organ transplantation is considered an alternative treatment to save lives or to improve the quality of life and is a successful method for the treatment of patients with end-stage organ diseases. The main objective of the current study was to explore the determinants of the attitudes and willingness to communicate the posthumous organ donation decisions to the families. Questionnaires were used to test the hypothesized relationships. The results confirmed altruism, knowledge, empathy, and self-identity as the antecedents to attitude. We also found perceived behavioral control, moral norms, and attitude as significant antecedents to the willingness to donate organs after death. The results of the study also indicated that those who were willing to sign the donor card were also willing to communicate their decision to their families. Religiosity moderated the relationship between willingness to donate and signing the donor card, and it strengthened the relationship. The findings of this study would provide insight into the factors which can influence posthumous organ donation among university students in Pakistan.

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.

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.

Factors associated with registration for organ donation among clinical nurses

PURPOSE

Healthcare professionals play an important role in the organ donation process. The aim of this study was to examine the organ donation registration rate and related factors among clinical nurses.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

In this cross-sectional, correlational study, we used mailed questionnaires to collect data from four geographical areas and three hospital levels in Taiwan from June 6 to August 31, 2018. Two thousand and thirty-three clinical nurses participated in this study.

RESULTS

Participants' mean age was 34.47 years, and 95.7% were women. Of them, 78.3% were willing to donate their organs and 20.6% had registered for organ donation after death. The results of logistic regression showed that in the personal domain, higher age (odds ratio (OR) = 1.03, p < 0.001), better knowledge of organ donation (OR = 1.09, p < 0.001), and a positive attitude toward organ donation (OR = 2.91, p < 0.001) were positively associated with organ donation registration, while cultural myths (OR = 0.69, p < 0.001) were negatively correlated. In the policy domain, the convenience of the registration procedure (OR = 1.45, p < 0.001) was positively associated with registration. A gap between willingness to donate and actual registration was observed.

CONCLUSIONS

Personal factors played an important role in organ donation registration. Therefore, efforts to improve knowledge and inculcate positive cultural beliefs about organ donation among clinical nurses are recommended. There is also a need to cooperate with government policies to provide appropriate in-service training and policy incentives and establish an efficient registration process.

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.

Organ Transplantation and Donation From the Point of View of College Students

BACKGROUND

The organ transplantation saves the life of individuals whose life is in danger due to organ/tissue failure. The presence of negative and positive attitudes toward tissue and organ donation is a determinant factor in the donation of tissue and organ donation.

PURPOSE

This study has aimed to explore the opinion of senior students studying at the undergraduate level toward organ transplantation and donation.

BASIC PROCEDURE

The study employed a descriptive and cross-sectional research design using a reliable questionnaire, which was distributed among 317 undergraduate students at the Faculty of Health Sciences (Physiotherapy and Rehabilitation, Nutrition, Nursing, Sports Sciences, Health Management Department) during the fall semester of the 2016-2017 academic year. A total of 240 responses were analyzed using χ² test with SPSS software.

MAIN FINDINGS

The results of the study showed that 57.4% of the students were willing to donate their organs after their death, 62.7% of the students' relatives wanted to donate their organs, 57.3% were willing to donate it to their deceased relatives, whereas 96.7% did not have any relative waiting for a transplantation. Families' negative opinions on tissue and organ transplantation and donation, status of getting information about tissue and organ transplantation and donation, and presence of a person waiting for tissue and organ transplantation in the family or in the environment were not effective in students' opinions about tissue and organ transplantation and donation (P > .05).

PRINCIPAL CONCLUSIONS

The results of this study contribute to determination of multicultural features of health sciences students that are likely to affect organ donation.

Narrative review on attitudes toward organ donation of undergraduate nurse students

AIM

We aimed at obtaining suggestions to increase the number of organ donations by conducting a meta-analysis of researches on attitudes toward organ donation for nurse undergraduates around the world.

METHODS

We looked for documents published by April 2017 using CINAHL, MEDLINE, Japan Medical Abstract Society, CiNii, and PsycINFO. We searched for English and Japanese literature including all terms of "attitude", "students", "nursing", "Tissue and Organ Procurement", "organ donation". This study was carried out based on the Prisma Statement 2010.

RESULTS

As a result of the search, six CINAHLs, 45 MEDLINEs, seven Japan Medical Abstract Society articles were extracted, but no papers from CiNii and PsycINFO. We extracted and analyzed 21 original papers including contents of organ donation, targeting nurse undergraduates, which also excluding scale development.