Acceptance and awareness of Saudi population about organ donation and lung transplantation

Abstract

Background: Organ transplantation is saving the lives of thousands. Organ donation is a complex multi-factorial issue involving medical, legal, ethical, organizational, and social factors. This study aimed at providing public awareness and acceptance of organ donation in different areas of Saudi Arabia. Methodology: A cross-sectional study was conducted during the period from 1 June to 31 August 2019 in different provinces of Saudi Arabia. Representative samples from male and female Saudi nationals from different age group were included in the study. Data were collected using an online questionnaire which covers the needed items to fulfill the study objectives. Results: The study included 1,508 participants. The majority of participants (87.4%) support organ donation, more than half 53.5% said that they are ready to donate any organs. 46.2% of cases think that organ donation could be after death, 39.7% reported it could be during life or after death. The majority of subjects, 89.3%, do not know the organ donation policies. Regarding knowledge of organs that can be donated, half of the participants choose kidney, 32.2% liver, 22% lungs, 9.2% pancreas, 7.8% eye, 7.4% bones, 6.8% skin, and only 5.8% for the heart. There was a significant relationship between supporting organ donation and age and educational level (p< 0.05), but insignificant relation with the gender (p = 0.05). Conclusion: The majority of the Saudi population, from both males and females, support organ donation but do not know the organ donation policies. So, we recommend health education settings to educate the public about organ donation policies and give them more detailed good information.