title: Knowledge of the brain-death concept among secondary school teachers.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The concept of brain death (BD) is not very well known in the population, and its unknown nature is one of the main factors that could lead to an attitude against organ donation. The teaching sector has an important influence on the education of adolescents, and for this reason the teacher's knowledge of these concepts is fundamental to spread the correct meaning of the concept to young people.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To analyze the concept of BD among teachers of compulsory secondary education (CSE) in southeast Spain and to determine teachers' influence on attitude toward organ donation.
  
  
  METHODS
  Ten CSE level schools were selected and stratified according to geographical location in southeast spain. A random sample was taken of CSE teachers. The knowledge of the concept of BD and attitude toward donation were analyzed using a validated questionnaire, which was self-administered and completed anonymously.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Sixty-four percent (n = 180) of respondents knew the BD concept and they considered it to be the death of an individual. Of the rest, 34% (n = 95) did not know this concept, and the remaining 3% (n = 8) believed it did not mean a person's death. Those who understood the concept of BD were more in favor of deceased donation than those who held the wrong concept (82% versus 75%; P < .01). The knowledge of the concept of BD is associated with variables directly and indirectly related with donation and transplantation (P < .05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A third of the CSE teaching staff did not know or understand the BD concept as the death of an individual. The knowledge of BD positively affects attitude toward organ donation. Given that teachers are a source of information, the basic training of CSE teaching staff in basic concepts such as BD would be important.
authors: Service of General Surgery and Transplant Unit, Virgen de la Arrixaca University Hospital, Murcia, Spain. ARZRIOS@teleline.es
authors: A
authors: A
authors: Ríos
authors: B
authors: B
authors: Febrero
authors: A
authors: A
authors: López-Navas
authors: L
authors: L
authors: Martínez-Alarcón
authors: J
authors: J
authors: Sánchez
authors: D
authors: D
authors: Guzmán
authors: P
authors: P
authors: Ramírez
authors: P
authors: P
authors: Parrilla
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000294:Adolescent Behavior; D000328:Adult; D000533:Altruism; D001926:Brain Death; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D032882:Comprehension; D005178:Faculty; D005260:Female; D037921:Gift Giving; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013030:Spain; D013334:Students / Q000523:psychology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014019:Tissue Donors / Q000523:psychology*; D009927:Tissue and Organ Procurement