Perceptions and attitudes towards organ donation among people seeking healthcare in tertiary care centers of coastal South India.
BACKGROUND
Organ transplantation is the most preferred treatment modality for end-stage organ diseases. The need for the transplants is higher than the availability. Prerequisites for the success of transplantation program include awareness and positive attitudes.


OBJECTIVE
To assess the perceptions and attitudes of the people seeking health care in tertiary care centers towards organ donation in Mangalore, India.


METHODS
This cross-sectional study included 863 people seeking general healthcare as outpatients.


METHODS
Face to face interviews were carried out using pretested tools which included the socio demographic data. Data was analyzed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences version 11.5.


RESULTS
Overall, 59.6% participants showed the willingness to donate organs. Females (64.1%) and participants from upper socio economic status (62.7%) had higher willingness rates for organ donations. Hindus (63.6%) and Christians (63.3%) had higher willingness rates for organ donations than Muslims (38.2%). Also, 23.7% participants showed willingness to donate eyes and 33.6% wished to donate any organ after death. Most of the participants (67%) were aware that money should not be accepted for donating organs, and 58.1% were aware that it is an offence to accept any benefit for organ donations. Forty percent participants had perceived risks associated with organ donation. Regarding donor cards, 42.3% of the participants knew about it and 3.7% already possessed it.


CONCLUSIONS
It is apparent from the study that though there was high level of awareness about organ donation, a high proportion of the participants did not have positive attitudes towards organ donation.
Department of Community Medicine, Kasturba Medical College, Manipal University, Mangalore, Karnataka, India.
Prasanna
P
Mithra
Prithvishree
P
Ravindra
B
B
Unnikrishnan
T
T
Rekha
Tanuj
T
Kanchan
Nithin
N
Kumar
Mohan
M
Papanna
Vaman
V
Kulkarni
Ramesh
R
Holla
K
K
Divyavaraprasad
Attitude; Awareness; Organ donation; Perceptions; South India