PUBLIC ATTITUDES TOWARD ORGAN DONATION
HALİL BİLGEL, NAZAN BİLGEL, NECLA OKAN, SADIK KILIÇTURGAY, YILMAZ ÖZEN, NUSRET KORUN
Uludağ Üniversitesi Tıp Fakültesi, Genel Cerrahi ve Halk Sağlığı A.B.D./BURSA
Abstract
A survey of public attitudes toward organ donation and transplantation was conducted in a Turkish Community. The 1030 subjects were chosen using a random stratified method. Some 50.5% of those interviewed were willing to donate their organs, while 33.7% refused and 15.8% were uncertain. A total of 53.6% said they would consent to donate a deceased relative's organs. Reasons for refusal to donate organs were as follows: Fear that their body would be cut into pieces (43.8%), religious beliefs (26.2%), no reason (23.1%) and the belief that they would need their body and organs for their second life (6.9%). In conclusion attitudes toward organ donation were clearly related to level of education, age, sex and socioeconomic status.
Most of the people who refused the organ donation have fears about their body being cut into pieces during organ retrieval. For this reason, Information campaigns should be designed to fight that misconception.
Keywords: ORGAN DONATION, TRANSPLANTATION, PUBLIC OPINION