Itsuto Hamano1,2, Shingo Hatakeyama3, Hayato Yamamoto1, Takeshi Fujita4, Reiichi Murakami4, Michiko Shimada4, Atsushi Imai1, Tohru Yoneyama1, Takahiro Yoneyama5, Yasuhiro Hashimoto1, Hisao Saitoh2, Tadashi Suzuki2, Hirofumi Tomita4, Chikara Ohyama1,5. 1. Department of Urology, Hirosaki University Graduate School of Medicine, 5 Zaifu-chou, Hirosaki, 036-8562, Japan. 2. Department of Urology, Oyokyo Kidney Research Institute, Hirosaki, Japan. 3. Department of Urology, Hirosaki University Graduate School of Medicine, 5 Zaifu-chou, Hirosaki, 036-8562, Japan. shingoh@hirosaki-u.ac.jp. 4. Department of Cardiology and Nephrology, Hirosaki University Graduate School of Medicine, Hirosaki, Japan. 5. Department of Advanced Transplant and Regenerative Medicine, Hirosaki University Graduate School of Medicine, Hirosaki, Japan.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Although a shortage in organ donation is a critical problem in Japan, understanding of and attitude toward organ transplantation in medical students have not been sufficiently reported. METHODS: Between 2013 and 2018, we surveyed 702 medical students in the fifth-year clinical training in our urology department. The survey concerned (1) knowledge of Japanese transplantation law, which was amended in 2010, and (2) whether the respondents had an organ donor card and had agreed to be a brain-dead donor or a living donor in kidney transplantation with specific reasons for their choices. RESULTS: All 702 students answered the survey. Of 657 students who provided valid answers to the first section, 402 (61%) recognized the amendment to the Japanese transplantation law, and only 11 (1.7%) fully understood its contents. Of 702 students, 194 (28%) had a donor card, 384 (55%) agreed to be a brain-dead donor, and 529 (75%) agreed to be a living donor in kidney transplantation. As the specific reasons for their choices, only a few medical students wrote reasons based on their medical standpoint, and more students wrote emotional reasons. CONCLUSIONS: The understanding of and attitude toward organ transplantation were not remarkably high in the fifth-year medical students in Japan. To solve the donor shortage problem, education about organ transplantation may need to be more effective.
BACKGROUND: Although a shortage in organ donation is a critical problem in Japan, understanding of and attitude toward organ transplantation in medical students have not been sufficiently reported. METHODS: Between 2013 and 2018, we surveyed 702 medical students in the fifth-year clinical training in our urology department. The survey concerned (1) knowledge of Japanese transplantation law, which was amended in 2010, and (2) whether the respondents had an organ donor card and had agreed to be a brain-dead donor or a living donor in kidney transplantation with specific reasons for their choices. RESULTS: All 702 students answered the survey. Of 657 students who provided valid answers to the first section, 402 (61%) recognized the amendment to the Japanese transplantation law, and only 11 (1.7%) fully understood its contents. Of 702 students, 194 (28%) had a donor card, 384 (55%) agreed to be a brain-dead donor, and 529 (75%) agreed to be a living donor in kidney transplantation. As the specific reasons for their choices, only a few medical students wrote reasons based on their medical standpoint, and more students wrote emotional reasons. CONCLUSIONS: The understanding of and attitude toward organ transplantation were not remarkably high in the fifth-year medical students in Japan. To solve the donor shortage problem, education about organ transplantation may need to be more effective.
Keywords:
Attitude; Brain death; Kidney transplantation; Medical students; Organ donation; Questionnaires
Authors: Marina Iniesta-Sepúlveda; Ana I López-Navas; Pedro R Gutiérrez; Pablo Ramírez; Antonio Ríos Journal: Transpl Int Date: 2022-06-28 Impact factor: 3.842