Effects of phased education on attitudes toward organ donation and willingness to donate after brain death in an Asian country

Abstract

Summary: Background/objective: : This study aims to investigate the effects of phased education on attitudes toward organ donation and willingness to donate after brain death. Methods: A survey was conducted using a questionnaire to examine attitudes toward organ donation of the families of patients admitted to a surgical intensive care unit (SICU) between March 1, 2014 and September 30, 2016. Results: Ninety-two people voluntarily participated in this survey. Before reviewing the educational material, 75.0% had a positive attitude toward organ donation, 60.9% were willing to donate their own organs, and 38.0% were willing to donate a family member's organs. After reviewing the educational material, these figures increased to 92.4%, 80.4%, and 56.5%, respectively. Before receiving an education, there was a significant difference in consistency between people's attitudes and willingness to donate their own organs, versus donating a family member's organs (79.3% vs 54.3%, p < 0.001). With phased education, these percentages increased from 79.3% to 85.9% with regard to donating one's own organs, and from 54.3% to 64.1% with regard to donating a family member's organs. Conclusion: Phased education was effective overall, but it had a limited effect on changing the willingness to donate a family member's organs. It increased the consistency between people's attitudes toward organ donation and willingness to donate their own, or a family member's organs. Keywords: Organ donation, Brain death, Education