Attitude of Personnel in Hospital Cadaveric Organ Transplant-Related Units Faced with Living Kidney Donation in a Hospital with a Living Kidney Donor Transplantation Program

Abstract

Introduction: The attitude of health care personnel is fundamental for the procurement of organs, especially when they are based in transplant-related services. The objective of this study is to assess the attitude of hospital personnel in transplant-related services toward living kidney donation in a hospital with a cadaveric and living solid organ transplant program. Materials and Methods: A random sample was taken and stratified by type of service and job category (n = 330) in transplant-related services (procurement units, transplant units and follow-up units). The attitude toward cadaveric organ donation was evaluated using a validated psychosocial questionnaire. Student’s t test, χ² test, and logistic regression analysis were applied for statistical analysis. Results: The questionnaire completion rate was 94% (n = 309). Most respondents (87%, n = 268) are in favor of related living kidney donation. However, only 17% (n = 53) of respondents are in favor if this donation is unrelated. Of the rest, 4% (n = 12) of respondents would not accept a donated living kidney organ and the remaining 9% (n = 29) are undecided. Only two variables are significantly related to attitude towards living kidney donation: age (p = 0.013) and a willingness to receive a donated living organ on the part of the respondent, if a transplant organ were needed (p < 0.001). Both variables persist as significant independent variables in the logistic regression analysis. There is also a close relationship between attitude toward living kidney donation and attitude toward living liver donation (p < 0.001). Conclusions: The personnel in donation and transplantation units tend to have a favorable attitude towards living kidney donation making them a key element in the current promotion of living kidney donation. Moreover, the youngest workers in these units are those who tend to be more in favor, thus offering a promising future for this type of kidney donation which is becoming more of a necessity given the cadaveric organ deficit.

The attitude toward living kidney donation among personnel from units related to donation and transplantation in Spain, Mexico and Cuba

“…However, it is worth noting that although they are workers in services directly related with the deceased organ donation and transplantation process, only 78% (n ¼ 215) are in favor of donating their own organs after death. This seems to be a contradictory piece of data and although we had already reported it previously 9 it does not fail to cause amazement. It should be noted that this is not a one-off event but quite a generalized situation across other non-hospital worker groups, at least in Spanish speaking countries.…”

“…9,10,14,15 For the distribution of these questionnaires contact was made with the head of service for the physicians' questionnaire, with the nursing coordinator for the nursing personnel and an administrator for non-healthcare personnel, who were each given an explanation of the study and were made responsible for handing out the survey in selected work shifts. The survey was completed anonymously and was self-administered.…”

“…Given this situation, the attitude of hospital workers who carry out their job activity in services related to the donation and transplant process is important: an unfavorable attitude could become a barrier to the development of this way of procuring organs and vice versa: a positive attitude will enhance donor procurement. 9,10 The latest data available in the Spanish speaking world and provided by our own group, show that attitude is favorable toward living kidney donation among personnel from units related with the donation and transplantation process. 9 However, these data are limited to just one hospital and there are no further data to make us think these could be representative of attitude in all geographical areas.…”

“…9,10 The latest data available in the Spanish speaking world and provided by our own group, show that attitude is favorable toward living kidney donation among personnel from units related with the donation and transplantation process. 9 However, these data are limited to just one hospital and there are no further data to make us think these could be representative of attitude in all geographical areas. 11,13 The objective of this study is to analyze the attitude toward living kidney donation among hospital workers in transplant-related services from Spain and Latin America (Mexico and Cuba), and to analyze the variables affecting this attitude.…”

“…4 In Spain, for instance, the LKD rate is 5 p. The implication and involvement of healthcare personnel whose work is related with these activities, clearly affects the development of this type of transplantation in areas where it is least used. [9][10][11][12] It is notable that although most of the groups surveyed are in favor of this activity, 12 in the Spanish speaking areas the data show that they are not always in favor of this type of donation. 11 In spite of the different circumstances faced by each country, there is no doubt that in all of them there is a deficit of kidney transplant organs and the need for more organs is growing.…”