A Household Study to Determine Attitudes and Beliefs Related to Organ Transplantation and Donation: A Pilot Study in Yapracık Village, Ankara, Turkey

Abstract

Rural areas display adverse attitudes toward organ donation. Through a population-based cross-sectional study of people 18 years of age or older in the rural area of Ankara, Yapracik Village, Turkey, we identified the attitudes and beliefs of people related to organ transplantation and organ donation. The research universe included 87 people in 75 households. The research instrument was a questionnaire. None of the respondents had been involved in organ donation. The percentage of willingness to donate an organ was 47% which was significantly associated with younger age, including 34.4% who expressed willingness while alive. Twenty-five percent believed that their religion is adverse to transplantation, 28% thought it would create pain in death, 20% were afraid, and 83% believed in life afterwards, 15% said that their custom and usage were adverse to organ donation, 50% stated that they can accept organ donation from other races, and 65% stated that they can request organs from their friends. Eighty percent thought that organ donation is a gift given to a human; 34% of them stated that they can be a donor while they are alive. Fifty-four percent of respondents stated that they wanted to get information about organ donation and transplantation. Therefore basic educational campaigns targeting the increase of knowledge about organ donation are warranted in the rural population. There is a need to increase awareness about organ donation and transplantation. Findings like those in this study will help campaigns conducted for organ donation.