Abstract
Background: Limited access to corneal tissue for transplantation remains a challenge in many parts of the world. To date, little attention has been paid to the problem of the cornea donor shortage in Poland, where the number of waiting patients exceeds the number of transplants performed three-fold. The aim of this study was to assess the knowledge and willingness towards participating in corneal donation among different social groups in Poland. Methods: This prospective, cross-sectional study was conducted among health professionals, medical students, clerics, teachers, journalists, employees and patients of the District Railway Hospital in Katowice. Online and paper questionnaires were used to collect socio-demographic data and information regarding awareness of, knowledge about and attitudes toward corneal donation. For health professionals and medical students, the questionnaires contained additional questions concerning knowledge and solutions for expanding the donor pool. Descriptive analysis and associations were evaluated using the chi2 test. Results: In the survey, 1026 participants took part, including 370 (36.06%, group 1) health professionals and 656 (63.94%, group 2) participants from a non-medical field. A total of 330 (89.18%) from group 1 and 528 (80.49%) respondents from group 2 expressed willingness to donate their corneas. The main reason for refusal of donation in both groups was a lack of knowledge concerning eye donation (7.8%). A social campaign (64.6%) was the most frequently chosen solution for increasing the number of potential donors by health professionals and medical students. In the group of doctors, not knowing how to report a potential donor was chosen as the greatest source of difficulty in donor reporting (40%). Conclusions: In the present study, the willingness to donate one’s eyes was substantial in both groups. Social campaigns and improving knowledge concerning the donor reporting process among health professionals might be beneficial in expanding the donor pool.
Highlights
Corneal transplantation is a highly effective procedure in treating multiple corneal disorders, with great potential to improve visual acuity
Its performance is limited by the availability of corneal tissue from deceased donors
Limited access to graft tissue remains a challenge in many parts of the world, with 32 countries not performing corneal transplants and 31 with a corneal transplant rate below 5 × 10−6, mainly in Asia and Africa [2]
Summary
Corneal transplantation is a highly effective procedure in treating multiple corneal disorders, with great potential to improve visual acuity. The drastic disproportion between the supply and demand of donor corneas worldwide, in which there are 70 patients per one acquired cornea, has been reported in a recent global survey of eye banking and corneal transplantation [1]. In affluent countries, such as Singapore, France, Germany, Australia, Italy, and the United Kingdom, with high-quality healthcare services and an efficient eye-banking system, annual rates of corneal transplants per capita are comparable and estimated in the range of 55 to 75 × 10−6. Limited access to graft tissue remains a challenge in many parts of the world, with 32 countries not performing corneal transplants and 31 with a corneal transplant rate below 5 × 10−6 , mainly in Asia and Africa [2].
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