Brain death and organ transplantation: knowledge, attitudes, and practice among Japanese students

To investigate the knowledge, attitudes and practice of Japanese students regarding brain death and organ transplantation.

A 22-item questionnaire was handed out among 383 Japanese students during the 2002 academic year. The data was finally analyzed using a statistical package for social sciences, SPSS.

Most students knew that organ transplantation can save a life 97%, while only 38% of the students were aware that there is no treatment for brain dead patients. Overall, 60% of the respondents believed brain death is equal to human death and 63% believed that organ removal from brain dead donors is mutilation of the body. There was a negative association between the students who reported positive attitudes toward the idea that removing an organ is mutilation of the body with their willingness to be a donor. Of the students 27% were opposed to the necessity of family agreement for organ donation. Although 66% expressed their wish to be a donor, less than half of them, 31% had a donor card; and 40% did not even know how to get a donor card.

Granting a veto power to the family as well as the mistaken idea that there is recovery from brain death, can be considered as obstacles to organ procurement from the brain dead in Japan. The high value of life among Japanese society and the willingness to be a donor, bring hope that giving correct medical information and proper public education can increase social acceptance of organ transplantation from the brain dead in Japan.