Urban myth vs awareness campaign: patients’ opinion regarding organ donation

Abstract

Introduction: Organ donation is a controversial subject, vital for many patients survival but also criticized by some religions and cultures which lead to more and more reticence. Propose and Objectives: Evaluation of hospitalized patients1 opinion, after an important “pro-organ donation” national campaign, regarding organ donation, for finding out the compliance in this problem, their information and their choice on this topic, starting from the idea that in hospital, the patient is more vulnerable mentally and emotionally, with a higher cure wish. Materials and Methods: 200 patients from Emergency County Hospital Targu Mures between 2-5 July were asked for completing an anonymous questionnaire. Sampling method - nonprobability. Excluding criteria - daily hospitalized patients and under-age. I have analyzed: age, gender, background, training level, occupation, religion, if they have discussed with their families about organ donation, if they/their family would agree with organ taking for some member of their family/they, if they know the Romanian organ donation legislation, if they would accept an organ if they would need it; if they don't agree-why?; and if they agree-what organ would donate? Results: From 200 patients only 92 were agree to complete the questionnaire, 4 were invalid, so the answering rate was 42%. 108 patients refused to complete, arguing fear, mistrust and religious motivation. -62% orthodox, 23% Calvinism, 5% Catholic, 10% others -43% retired, 16 % without occupation, 6% students, 13% medical/trade/educational workers,21% others. -35.2% patients have already discussed with their families, 64.8 have not -63.36% would be agree with organ taking from some member of their families, 36.64 % would not -51.04% their families would be agree with their organ donation, 12.32% would not, 14.08% don't know -16.72% know the law, 83.28% do not -66% would accept receiving an organ if they would need it, 34% would not -1.76% they disagree because they don't accept body manipulation, 0.88-mistrust in medical system, 3.52% religion, 8.8% they don’t know why, but they disagree -57.2% would donate everything which can be used, 4.4% everything except skin, 0.88% everything except heart, 0.88% don’t know what to donate. Conclusions: The survey shows a high wish for organ donation, which is contrary to the hospital reality, the real refusal rate in 2013 was 68.42%, but the explanation probably is the high number of refusal in questionnaire completing. Organ donation is still considerate a taboo subject, fact indicated by the lack of education in this domain, ignorance of the law, carelessness mistrust and misunderstand religious ideas- which are the main obstacles in raising the number of organ donators.