Differences in Attitude Toward Organ Donation in the Three Main Cities of Cuba

Cuba is one of the Latin American countries with the highest rates of organ donation. Social and cultural differences among the population throughout the country may also affect attitudes toward donation. Knowledge of these characteristics would facilitate awareness of the population most reluctant to donate and transplant.

We sought to analyze the differences in attitudes toward organ donation among Cubans living in the main capitals of Cuba.

Study population. The study group was the Cuban population living in the cities of Cienfuegos (n=636), Havana (n=920), and Santiago de Cuba (n=455), extracted from the database of the International Collaborative Donor Project. Sample of the population. Participants were older than 15 years, and data were stratified by geographic area, age, and sex. Assessment instrument. We used a validated questionnaire of attitude toward organ donation for transplant (PCID-DTO-Ríos), anonymously filled in and self-administered.

Student t test was applied together with the χ² test, complemented by an analysis of the remainders.

The favorable attitude among inhabitants in Cienfuegos was 71.2% (n=453), 68.3% (n=628) among those in Havana, and 69.5% (n=316) among those in Santiago de Cuba (P < .05). The psycho-social profile of respondents favoring organ donation was similar in the 3 cities.

The attitude toward organ donation among the population of the main cities of Cuba was favorable and similar in all of them. The psycho-social profile toward organ donation was similar in the 3 cities.