Evaluation of attitude toward living organ donation among adolescents in Southeast Spain

Abstract

Introduction: The infant and youth population constitutes a sector in which early awareness is important to increase favorable attitudes toward donation. Objectives were as follows: (1) to analyze the attitudes of adolescents toward living organ donation; and (2) to determine the psychosocial variables affecting them.

Materials and methods: In Southeast of Spain a random sample was stratified according to Compulsory Secondary Education (CSO) school. In the 10 selected schools we performed a random sampling of each of the classes from the first to the fourth year of CSO. Attitudes were evaluated using a validated questionnaire lowering psychosocial aspects of donation. The self-administered questionnaire was completed anonymously. Statistical analyses employed Student t test and the χ(2) test.

Results: Regarding living kidney donation, 89% (n = 3146) of adolescents favored it, although only 29% (n = 1035) in unrelated cases. For living liver donation, 78% (n = 2753) were in favor of related donation, but only 19% (n = 668) were in favor if it was unrelated. The favorable attitude toward living donation was mainly associated with the following variables: (1) being a woman; (2) having previous experience with the donation-transplantation process; (3) having spoken about the matter of donation and transplantation with family and friends; (4) a favorable attitude of one's mother and father; (5) concern about possible bodily mutilation after donation; and (6) having performed pro-social type activities (P < .05).

Conclusions: Related living donation is well accepted among adolescents on the Southeast of Spain. There was a high acceptance of unrelated living donation compared with studies published in other geographic areas.