Influence of Knowledge and Beliefs of Housewives on Attitudes About Organ Donation

Reluctance of families of deceased donors to provide approval for donation is a factor in low rates of deceased donor organ transplants. Decisions of women may be important for family approval. We investigated the influence of knowledge and beliefs of housewives on attitudes toward organ donation.

This cross-sectional study was conducted with 212 housewives attending Directorate of Religious Affairs centers and public education centers in Adana province between May and June 2018. A structured questionnaire to assess sociode-mographic information, knowledge, and beliefs about organ donation, as well as the Attitudes Toward Organ Donation Scale, was applied through face-to-face interviews.

Mean age of participants was 42.9 ± 13.1 years, 68 (32.1%) had no formal education, and 125 women (59.0%) identified as low income. Of the women, 40 (18.9%) were single, 147 (69.3%) were married, 25 (11.8%) were divorced∕widowed, 104 (49.1%) were attending religious affairs centers, and 108 (50.9%) were attending public education centers. Mean score for the question "What is the religious drawback of donating organs?" was significantly higher in participants attending a Quran course (2.5 ± 1.4), and mean score of Attitudes Toward Organ Donation Scale decreased significantly as mean score for this question increased; the score for "Are you aware that the organ donation-related procedures are conducted within the law?" was 2.2 ± 1.2 (P < .001). Scores increased as knowledge level increased (r = 0.360, P < .001), and scores decreased as perception of organ donation as religiously objectionable increased (r = -0.258, P < .001).

Participants with sufficient knowledge about organ donation, without religious objection to organ donation, and with awareness of the lawful status of organ donation had positive attitudes toward organ donation. Efforts toward improvement of community knowledge could increase rates of deceased donor organ donation.