title: New Zealand university students' knowledge and attitudes to organ and tissue donation.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Organ and tissue donation (OTD) rates in New Zealand are low compared to many countries. Young adults are 'tomorrow's donors', yet the attitudes and knowledge of this group to OTD have not been examined locally. Such information is relevant to ODT education and clinical engagement.
  
  
  METHODS
  A random sample of University of Otago students (<25 years, permanent New Zealand resident) was surveyed to examine OTD knowledge and attitudes. This included general knowledge, OTD policy (opt-in, opt-out), donation by self, and donation by loved ones. Questions included yes-no, multiple choice, and Likert-type responses. Analyses by sex, demographic characteristics, supportive attitudes to ODT, and University of Otago student profile were performed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  180 responses were gathered (mean age 20.1 years, 67% female, 68% New Zealand European); there were no age or response differences between sexes, participants were generally not representative of the University of Otago student profile. Outcomes indicated limited OTD knowledge, positive support for OTD, and willingness to engage in donation the decision-making process for loved ones. Differences between supportive and non-supportive OTD attitudes was seen for some questions.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Findings highlight areas for strategic OTD public engagement and provide details relevant to guiding appropriate clinical interaction in facilitating decisions about OTD.
authors.affiliation: Senior Research Fellow, Faculty of Law and Department of Physiology, University of Otago, Dunedin, and Centre for Health Professions, Zurich University of Applied Sciences, Zurich, Switzerland. jon.cornwall@otago.ac.nz.
authors.forename: Jon
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Cornwall
authors.forename: Cyril
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Schafer
authors.forename: Navneet
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Lal
authors.forename: Rohit
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: D'Costa
authors.forename: Shyamala
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Nada-Raja
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D003657:Decision Making; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009520:New Zealand; D013334:Students / Q000523:psychology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D020458:Third-Party Consent; D009927:Tissue and Organ Procurement; D014495:Universities; D055815:Young Adult