Attitudes of selected social groups towards their informed consent to harvesting organs for transplantations

Bożena Majchrowicz
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Krzysztof Kalita
Z Centrum Opieki Medycznej w Jarosławiu
Z Biura Badań i Analiz Statystycznych w Rzeszowie

Abstract

Introduction: Nowadays transplanting tissues and organs is recognised as one of the major achievements of contemporary medicine. The development of this, acknowledged today, worldwide procedure is still accompanied with questions, doubts and voices of anxiety. Ethical and philosophical reflection is accompanying actions of doctors as well as dilemmas and anxieties of patients and their families. It should also be an object of interest of the society as a whole.

Study aim: The aim of this study was to determine the attitudes of selected social groups towards the problem of organ transplantation. The purpose of the study was to get the answers to the questions of concern: 1.What are the attitudes of selected social groups to express their informed consent to harvesting organs for transplantation? 2. Is there a social acceptance of transplantation as a method of treatment and life prolongation?

Material and methods: The material for the study was obtained in a diagnostic opinion poll using a specially prepared survey for this purpose. 200 people over the age of 18, living in the region of Podkarpacie , participated in the survey. The respondents were selected according to gender and the basis for their selection was the current register of CSO (Central Statistical Office). The measurement technique, based on the answers categorised according to Likert scale, was used in the study. The obtained material was worked out using the statistical analysis based on parametric tests.

Results and conclusions: The analysis of the study material allowed to draw some conclusions. The respondents express positive attitude towards transplantation as a method of treatment. Men agree to harvesting organs for transplantation from members of their families more eagerly than women , whereas women think that human beings have the right to choose and can decide about their organs and bodies during their lifetime as well as after their death. The respondents , to quite a great extent, are afraid of corruption when establishing the order for transplantation. People who are employed think more frequently that organ transplantation is an effective method of treatment regardless of the patient’s age . Town dwellers claim more often that the doctor after declaring ( by commission ) that the patient’s brain is dead , has the right to treat them as deceased and disconnect the respirator

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