title: Opinions and Attitudes of University Students Concerning Organ Transplantation.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Organ donation and transplantology are receiving more and more support and approval all over the world every year. However, there remains a considerable and growing difference between the number of patients awaiting transplantation and the number of donors. The aim of the work was to find out the opinions and attitudes of university students concerning organ donation and transplantology.
  
  
  METHODS
  Our poll surveyed 405 students from 2 universities (Medical University of Białystok [MU] and Białystok University of Technology [UT]). The research tool used in the study was an original survey questionnaire.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Treatment with the use of organs taken from living persons was approved by 55.6% of the students, from dead donors, by 73.6%, and 1.2% of the participants did not approve of that way of treatment. Of the students from the MU, 84% approved the removal of organs from close relatives after their death; 79.5% of those from the UT approved. Of the UT students, 8% were against the removal of organs from close relatives after their death; 4% of MU students were against it. Of MU students 94.5%, would agree to have their own organs removed after death; 85.3% of UT students would agree. Of MU students, 54.2% of students had informed their families about their will to have organs removed; 29.4% of UT students had informed their families. A greater number of medical students had a declaration of will (28.9% vs 13.2%; P < .001). The kind of university had a significant (P = .002) influence on the students' attitudes to transplantation. A positive attitude was displayed by 94.5% of MU students and 83.8% of UT students, whereas a negative one, by 2% of UT students and 0.5% of MU students.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Different degrees of knowledge and acceptance of organ donation were manifested by university students. To a great extent, this depended on the kind of university. MU students understood the topic and approved of the treatment to a greater degree. A permanent educational campaign should be carried out among young people, especially those studying at universities other than medical.
authors: Department of Clinical Medicine, Medical University of Bialystok, Bialystok, Poland. Electronic address: g.kobus@wp.pl.
authors: G
authors: G
authors: Kobus
authors: Department of Intensive Therapy, University Clinical Hospital in Bialystok, Bialystok, Poland.
authors: P
authors: P
authors: Reszec
authors: First Department of Nephrology with Dialysis Unit, Medical University of Bialystok, Bialystok, Poland.
authors: J S
authors: JS
authors: Malyszko
authors: Second Nephrology Department, Medical University of Bialystok, Bialystok, Poland.
authors: J
authors: J
authors: Małyszko
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001290:Attitude; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D001294:Attitude to Health; D003643:Death; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D016377:Organ Transplantation; D011044:Poland; D013334:Students; D013337:Students, Medical; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014019:Tissue Donors; D009927:Tissue and Organ Procurement; D014495:Universities; D055815:Young Adult