Body donation under Italy's recent legal reforms: A cross-sectional study of attitudes, beliefs, and educational gaps among medical students and faculty

Abstract

Postmortem body donation (BD) plays a central role in medical education and scientific research. Sociocultural, religious, and legal factors can influence attitudes toward BD. In Italy, BD programs are in early development, and recent legislation (Law 10/2020) regulating body donation came into effect in 2021. Although international surveys have explored attitudes toward BD, data specific to the Italian context remain limited. This study provides initial insights into attitudes and willingness to donate among medical academics and students at an Italian university. A cross-sectional study was conducted between February and March 2023 using an online questionnaire. The survey collected data on attitudes, dissection experience, sociodemographic, and academic background. A multivariate logistic regression model was implemented to evaluate factors associated with willingness to donate. Of the 2273 individuals invited, 434 completed the questionnaire (19.4% response rate, 70% female, 88% students). Overall, 72.8% were willing to donate. Knowing organ donors was associated with higher willingness, whereas religious beliefs were negatively associated. Only 32% of participants were aware of the national law regulating BD. This study highlights the predominance of positive attitudes toward BD within a healthcare-oriented academic population and the significant influence of religion and personal experience. The limited awareness of Law 10/2020 underscores the need for targeted educational efforts, even within expert communities. These findings support future initiatives aimed at improving awareness, shaping national policy, and contributing to the global discourse on ethical and practical aspects of body donation.

Keywords: Italian anatomy laws; academic survey; anatomical dissection; body donation; medical education; students' attitude.

FIGURE 1

Percentage distribution of willingness to body donation stratified by sex (A), academic status (B), religious beliefs (C), and dissection course (D).

FIGURE 2. Attitudes toward body donation.

The bar chart displays the distribution of ratings on a 5‐point Likert scale for two distinct groups (reluctance to body donation and willingness to body donation). Each column represents one of the five possible ratings (from Completely disagree to Completely agree), and the different sections within the columns indicate the relative percentages for each of the stratifications considered. Box under graph shows percentage values for each response. The p‐value refers to the comparison between the two groups for each domain analyzed (i.e., BD is an act of charitable, altruism, and solidarity; BD is helpful for advance in medical research; BD is an act of freedom; BD is inappropriate).

FIGURE 3. Multivariate analysis: Factors associated with the willingness to donate one's body.

Forest plot showing the result of multivariate logistic regression analysis. The x‐line represents odds ratio (blue squares) and 95% confidence intervals (whiskers). The red line indicates no effect (p > 0.05).