title: Organ donation: what else can be done besides legislature?
abstract: With the ongoing organ shortage for transplantation, Singapore has adopted an organ opt-out scheme: Human Organ Transplant Act (HOTA) that presumes consent unless specified otherwise. Likewise, receptivity of doctors and medical students (MS), as future doctors, can positively influence organ donation (OD) rates. We explored the knowledge and attitudes of MS toward OD. MS from all five yr of medical school were recruited using self-administered questionnaires. There were 294 completed questionnaires with 49.3% males and 45.6% pre-clinical students. The MS were generally knowledgeable about organ transplantation, but deficient in the knowledge of some aspects of HOTA. The majority of the MS were receptive toward OD. Traditional values rather than religion were possible barriers toward OD. 50.7% of the MS were concerned that donated organs may be inappropriately used, while 32% had concerns that doctors would prematurely terminate treatment if the patient is a potential organ donor. Fewer clinical students shared such concerns, compared with the pre-clinical students. The MS have a good understanding of basic tenets of OD and are receptive toward OD. Potential barriers for OD advocation are local traditional values and reservations regarding the appropriate use of harvested organs and provision of appropriate care to donor patients. These concerns are areas to address.
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Singapore General Hospital, Singapore.
authors.forename: George Boon Bee
authors.initials: GB
authors.lastname: Goh
authors.forename: Zhun Wei
authors.initials: ZW
authors.lastname: Mok
authors.forename: Zhun Rui
authors.initials: ZR
authors.lastname: Mok
authors.forename: Jason Pik Eu
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.forename: Chee Kiat
authors.initials: CK
authors.lastname: Tan
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis; D012067:Religion; D013337:Students, Medical / Q000523:psychology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D009927:Tissue and Organ Procurement / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: HOTA; attitudes; knowledge; medical students; organ donation