A Multicentre and stratified study of the attitude of medical students towards organ donation in Spain

Abstract

Introduction: Medical students represent a new generation of medical thought, and if they have a favourable attitude towards organ donation this will greatly encourage its promotion.

Objective: To analyse the attitude of medical students in Spanish universities towards the donation of their own organs and to determine the factors affecting this attitude.

Material and methods: Type of study: A sociological, interdisciplinary, multicentre, and observational study in Spain.

Study population: Students studying a degree in medicine enrolled in Spain (n = 34,000).

Sample size: A sample of 9598 students (confidence of 99% and precision of ±1%), stratified by geographical area and academic year. Instrument of measurement: A validated questionnaire of attitude towards organ donation and transplantation (PCID-DTO RIOS) was self-administered and completed anonymously.

Results: The questionnaire completion rate was 95.7% (n = 9.275). 80% were in favour of donation, 2% against and 18% were undecided. The following main variables were related to a favourable attitude: being of the female sex (Odds Ratio = 1.739); being in the sixth year of the degree (OR = 2.506); knowing a donor (OR = 1.346); having spoken about the subject with one's family (OR = 2.132) and friends (OR = 1.333); having a family circle that is in favour, more specifically, having a father (OR = 1.841), mother (OR = 2.538) or partner in favour (OR = 2.192); being a blood donor (OR = 2.824); acceptance of the mutilation of the body if it were necessary (OR = 2.958); and being an atheist or an agnostic (OR = 1.766).

Conclusions: Spanish medical students generally have a favourable attitude towards organ donation, although 20% are not in favour.

Keywords: Attitude; Spain; medical students; multicentre; organ donation; stratified study.