Knowledge and Attitude of Donor Cardholders Toward Organ and Tissue Donation and Transplantation in an Iranian Tissue Bank: A Case-Control Study

• Published in: Transplantation proceedings 2009-09, Vol.41 (7), p.2715-2717
• Main Authors: Arjmand, B, Aghayan, S.H, Goodarzi, P, Razavi, S.H.E, Jafarian, A, Larijani, B, Khalooghi, K, Charmchi, E, Arjmand, F
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Anesthesia. Intensive care medicine. Transfusions. Cell therapy and gene therapy; Attitude; Biological and medical sciences; Case-Control Studies; Clinical death. Palliative care. Organ gift and preservation; Female; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Fundamental immunology; Humans; Iran; Knowledge; Male; Marital Status; Medical sciences; Outpatients - psychology; Personnel, Hospital - psychology; Surgery; Surgery (general aspects). Transplantations, organ and tissue grafts. Graft diseases; Surveys and Questionnaires; Tissue and Organ Procurement - statistics & numerical data; Tissue Banks - statistics & numerical data; Tissue Donors - psychology; Tissue, organ and graft immunology; Transplantation - statistics & numerical data
• ISSN: 0041-1345; 1873-2623
• DOI: 10.1016/j.transproceed.2009.06.177

Abstract Background Cadaveric organ shortage is the most important obstacle to more widespread provision of transplants. Many factors influence the donation rate: social factors, religion, familial relations, and especially knowledge and attitudes toward organ and tissue donation and transplantation. Increasing public awareness can reform the incorrect beliefs and myths about donation and transplantation. This study investigated knowledge and attitudes of donor cardholders toward organ and tissue donation as well as transplantation. Methods This case-control study was performed in 2006 among 178 donor cardholders and the same number of a control group who completed a questionnaire including 23 questions and demographic information. Findings Knowledge and attitude among the cardholder was significantly greater than the control group ( P < .05). We observed a inverse correlation between age and a positive attitude toward donation and transplantation among cardholders. Conclusion This study suggested that the main reasons for refusal to donate organ and tissue were insufficient knowledge and negative attitudes due to misinformation regarding donation and transplantation. We believe that educating and motivating the public via the mass media can increase the rate of consent for organ and tissue donation and transplantation.