Knowledge and attitude towards organ donation among the students of undergraduate health sciences

Abstract

Background: The willingness for organ donation varies significantly across and within countries. Social stigma, ignorance, and lack of information have been found to be major factors in organ and tissue transplantation. Aim: To assess the Knowledge and attitude towards organ donation among the students of undergraduate health sciences. Materials and methods: The study included 199 undergraduates’ health sciences students from medical, paramedical and nursing disciplines studying in tertiary care hospital. Knowledge for organ donation was collected using knowledge questionnaire and attitude was assessed using attitude scale for the subjects falling in inclusion criteria. Convenient sampling method was adopted for data collection. Results: Nursing students were found to have adequate knowledge for organ donation than medical and paramedical students. Knowledge was good for cadaveric donation, majority of the nursing students were known to investigation required before transplant but poor for corneal transplantation and kidney transplantation among all groups. Nursing students had more favourable attitude for organ donation as compared to other disciplines. Lack of awareness for organ donation was expressed by all subjects and desired to be added it in academic curriculum. Majority of the subjects showed their willingness to discuss the organ donation with their family members. Conclusion: knowledge was found adequate in majority of nursing students as compared to medical and paramedical students and nursing students had more favorable attitude towards organ donation.