Correlations between demographics, knowledge, beliefs, and attitudes regarding organ transplantation among academic students in Poland and their potential use in designing society-wide educational campaigns.
BACKGROUND
Family objection precludes 10% of cadaveric donations in Poland. Academic students represent a socially influential demographic group. Educational campaigns improving their attitudes may increase overall donation rates. The aim of this study was to assess correlations between knowledge, beliefs, and attitudes regarding organ transplantation and the identification of the most critical factors affecting one's donation preferences.


METHODS
Eight hundred students from 4 public universities in Krakow, Poland, participated in the study; participants were diverse in age, sex, hometown population, and academic discipline (400 medical, 400 non-medical). This cross-sectional study was conducted with the use of a group-administered questionnaire inquiring into demographics, general and professional knowledge, beliefs, and attitudes toward organ transplantation.


RESULTS
Attitudes toward organ donation correlate positively with beliefs (ρ = 0.36), general knowledge (ρ = 0.48), and professional knowledge (ρ = 0.23) scores. Beliefs were proven to correlate with general (ρ = 0.21) and professional (ρ = 0.26) knowledge as well. Misconceptions about the medical criteria allowing cadaveric organ recovery, distrust for brain death reliability, fear of "do not resuscitate" approach toward Organ Donor Card holders, a strong belief in organ trafficking, and unawareness of family members' attitudes are the most important factors influencing one's refusal/uncertainty to donate.


CONCLUSIONS
Knowledge, attitudes, and refusal rates differ, depending on the academic discipline as well as other demographics, indicating a need for a specifically targeted approach in designing educational campaigns. Sources of knowledge are related to donation rates, with pre-academic education evaluated as unfavorable, as opposed to healthcare providers and the media.
Cardiosurgical Students' Scientific Group of the Jagiellonian University Medical College, Kraków, Poland. Electronic address: pawelkozlik89@gmail.com.
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Koźlik
Department of Cardiovascular Surgery and Transplantology, Jagiellonian University, John Paul II Hospital, Kraków, Poland.
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Pfitzner
Department of Internal Medicine and Angiology, Brothers Hospitallers' of St John of God Hospital, Kraków, Poland.
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Nowak
Cardiosurgical Students' Scientific Group of the Jagiellonian University Medical College, Kraków, Poland.
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Kozynacka
Cardiosurgical Students' Scientific Group of the Jagiellonian University Medical College, Kraków, Poland.
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Durajski
Department of Cardiovascular Surgery and Transplantology, Jagiellonian University, John Paul II Hospital, Kraków, Poland.
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Janik
Department of Cardiovascular Surgery and Transplantology, Jagiellonian University, John Paul II Hospital, Kraków, Poland.
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Przybyłowski
D000328:Adult; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006266:Health Education; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011044:Poland; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D013334:Students; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014019:Tissue Donors; D009927:Tissue and Organ Procurement / Q000458:organization & administration; D055815:Young Adult