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Langenbeck's Archives of Surgery

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01-12-2016 | ORIGINAL ARTICLE

Attitude towards organ donation in German medical students

Authors: Tobias Terbonssen, Utz Settmacher, Christine Wurst, Olaf Dirsch, Uta Dahmen

Published in: Langenbeck's Archives of Surgery | Issue 8/2016

Abstract

Purpose

It is well known that personal decision making in respect to organ donation is highly dependent on the balance of knowledge, trust, and fear. We wanted to explore the attitude of German medical students towards organ donation and investigate the relationship between knowledge, trust, and fear in this special subgroup.

Methods

We conducted an online survey utilizing (1) the snowball effect of using Facebook groups and advertisement as well as (2) mailing lists of medical faculties in Germany for distribution.

Results

We surveyed 1370 medical students. 75.8 % (N = 988) of the participants stated to carry an organ donor card and allowed their organs to be donated. 1.8 % (N = 23) refused donation. 22.5 % (N = 293) did not carry an organ donor card. Analysis of the “decided” versus the “undecided” group revealed substantial differences regarding transplantation knowledge (mean knowledge score of 4.23 vs. 3.81; P < 0.001), trust in (mean trust score 4.11 vs. 3.39; P < 0.001), and fear of (mean fear score 1.63 vs. 2.22; P < 0.001) organ donation. 45.9 % of the undecided group (N = 134) opted for accessing additional information material. After reading the info material, 22.7 % (N = 29) stated their willingness to sign a donor card, whereas 76.6 % (N = 98) still could not reach a decision.

Conclusions

The willingness to potentially act as organ donor was related to the pre-existent knowledge, trust, and fear. Access to information material did promote the decision towards organ donation in a group of previously undecided medical students. This advocates initiating information campaigns even in population groups with strong medical background.

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Title: Attitude towards organ donation in German medical students
Authors: Tobias Terbonssen
Utz Settmacher
Christine Wurst
Olaf Dirsch
Uta Dahmen
Publication date: 01-12-2016
Publisher: Springer Berlin Heidelberg
Published in: Langenbeck's Archives of Surgery / Issue 8/2016
Print ISSN: 1435-2443
Electronic ISSN: 1435-2451
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00423-016-1482-4

At a glance: The STEP trials

Springer Medicine

Attitude towards organ donation in German medical students

Abstract

Purpose

Methods

Results

Conclusions

At a glance: The STEP trials

Springer Medicine

Abstract

Purpose

Methods

Results

Conclusions

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