Socio-personal profile of teenagers opposed to organ donation.
BACKGROUND
The teenage population has a more favourable attitude towards organ donation than other population groups. Teenagers represent the future of the community and their opinion directly affects other family members and friends. Therefore, teenagers who are in favour of donation become promoters of organ donation in their area of influence. Our aim was to determine the opinion and fears of the teenage population regarding organ donation in order to define the profile of the subgroup, which is opposed to donation.


METHODS
We used a random stratified sample according to gender and geographical location of 15-19-year-old adolescents. The attitude towards organ donation was assessed using the questionnaire on psychosocial aspects of donation. The variables were grouped into socio-personal, donation awareness, social interaction, pro-social activities and attitude towards the body. Data were analysed by descriptive statistics, the chi(2) test, Student's t-test and a logistic regression analysis.


RESULTS
Seventy-three per cent of teenagers have a favourable attitude towards organ donation. Twenty-seven per cent are undecided or have negative attitudes; the main reason given is fear of apparent death (48%). Variables with statistical significance, which are against donation, are a low level of education (P = 0.0456), no previous experience with organ donation (P = 0.0254), no knowledge of the brain death concept (P = 0.0054) and refusal to accept cadaver manipulation (P = 0.0037).


CONCLUSIONS
The profile of the teenager who is opposed to organ donation is one who has only primary schooling or who left school early, is not engaged in pro-social activities, rejects cadaver manipulation and has no knowledge of the brain death concept.
Murcia Regional Transplant Coordination Centre, Ronda de Levante no.11, Murcia, Spain.
Catalina
C
Conesa
Antonio
A
Ríos Zambudio
Pablo
P
Ramírez
Manuel
M
Canteras
María
M
del Mar Rodríguez
Pascual
P
Parrilla
D000293:Adolescent; D001294:Attitude to Health; D001803:Blood Transfusion; D001926:Brain Death; D005260:Female; D005843:Geography; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D000297:Psychology, Adolescent; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D013030:Spain; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014019:Tissue Donors