Assessment of the level of willingness to donate liver and kidney among the general population in Saudi Arabia

Abstract

Background: For patients with end-stage liver disease and underlying chronic kidney disease or prolonged acute kidney injury, liver and kidney transplantation is a life-saving procedure. As a result, estimating the general population’s willingness to donate liver and kidney is critical. Objectives: To assess the level of willingness to donate liver and kidney and its relationship with different socio demographic factors among the general population in Saudi Arabia. Methods: This is cross sectional study that was conducted in various regions in Saudi Arabia during March – May 2022. Data were collected through online self-administered questionnaire prepared via Google Form. Participants were selected using a convenient non-probability sampling technique. SPSS was used to perform data analysis. Results: A total of 983 participants were included in this study. The majority were females. The most common age group was 18-30 years. Our results found that 23.6 % of the participants reported their willingness to donate a liver or a kidney for an unknown patient, whereas 71.1% reported willingness to do so for a close family member or a friend. 58.3% were willing to accept a donated liver or kidney from an unknown donor whereas 67.7% were willing to accept it from a close family member or a friend. Moreover, gender was significantly associated with willingness of donation for an unknown patient (P<0.05) whereas gender was not significantly associated with willingness for donation for a close family member or a friend. Age groups, marital status and occupational status was found to be significantly associated with donation for both unknown patients and close family members or friends (P<0.05). Conclusion: According to our findings, the willingness of participants to donate a kidney or a liver was 23.6 percent for unknown patients and 71.1 percent for close relatives. Gender, marital status, age, income and occupation were observed to be significantly associated with willingness to donate an organ for unknown patients or close family members or friends or both. Key words: donation, liver, kidney, general population, Saudi Arabia