Aim: With organ insufficiency, specifically kidney failure, becoming a prevalent health concern, renal transplantation emerges as a life-altering solution. However, the scarcity of donor organs calls for an exploration into patients' attitudes towards organ donation. This research aims to understand these attitudes and their underlying reasons, intending to reveal the factors that influence organ donation rates. Our goal is to boost these rates and give more individuals on the organ waiting list a chance for a life-saving transplantation.
Materials and Methods: The study was conducted with the participation of 361 randomly selected renal transplant patients. The study protocol was in accordance with the Declaration of Helsinki and was approved by the Institutional Review Board (approval number: 2022/21). A questionnaire was used to collect data on patients' demographic information, knowledge about organ donation, attitudes toward donation, and reasons for donating or not donating organs.
Results: Most patients (%78) indicated that they have knowledge about organ donation. However, only 42% of them have engaged in organ donation. Among the patients who do not donate organs, the most common reasons identified were lack of family approval (45%), personal concerns (32%), and lack of information (23%). Among the patients who donate organs, the most common motivations were helping others (55%), understanding the importance of organ donation (28%), and personal experiences (17%).
Conclusion: This study provides important findings on the attitudes of renal transplant patients toward organ donation. Measures such as increasing awareness about organ donation, facilitating the family approval process, and sharing personal experiences should be taken to increase organ donation rates. This can improve the quality of life for patients waiting for organs and save more lives. Conducting more comprehensive and diverse studies in the future can further advance knowledge and awareness about organ donation.
Key words: Organ donation, renal transplantation, patient attitudes, organ failure, health behavior
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