Department of Anatomy, College of Medicine, University of Nigeria, Enugu Campus, Nigeria.
Anat Sci Educ. 2012 Nov-Dec;5(6):347-53. doi: 10.1002/ase.1298. Epub 2012 Jun 29.
Anatomy education in most African countries is limited by an insufficient number of cadavers for students to undertake dissection. This already significant shortage is exacerbated by an increasing number of medical schools and students. Virtual dissections are impractical in alleviating such a shortfall in African anatomy education, and further cadaver supply is challenged by unethical and dubious sources. This study was designed to assess the knowledge, attitudes, and practice of whole body and organ donation by Nigerian anatomists with the aim of finding solutions to the problems associated with the availability of cadavers in Nigerian medical schools. Out of 46 anatomists that participated in the survey, only 23.9% would consider donating their whole bodies and 60.9% their organs. More than 95% of respondents did not believe that body bequests could become the sole source of cadavers for anatomic dissection in Nigeria. Age and gender were not statistically significant in the choice of being a body or organ donor. The unacceptability to one's family members regarding body donation was the major reason for respondents' unwillingness to make a whole body donation. None of the 14 medical schools sampled in this study have yet instituted a body registration and donation program. The anatomists showed a high level of knowledge and awareness of body bequest programs, which were not reflected by their attitudes and practice. The authors recommend proactive measures aimed at improving the perception and attitudes of Nigerian anatomists.
在大多数非洲国家，由于可供学生进行解剖的尸体数量不足，解剖学教育受到限制。这种已经非常严重的短缺情况因医学院和学生数量的增加而加剧。虚拟解剖在缓解非洲解剖学教育中的这种短缺方面是不切实际的，而且进一步的尸体供应也受到不道德和可疑来源的挑战。本研究旨在评估尼日利亚解剖学家对全身和器官捐赠的知识、态度和实践，旨在为解决尼日利亚医学院尸体可用性问题找到解决方案。在参与调查的 46 名解剖学家中，只有 23.9%的人会考虑捐赠自己的全身，60.9%的人会考虑捐赠自己的器官。超过 95%的受访者认为，遗体捐赠不可能成为尼日利亚解剖学中唯一的尸体来源。年龄和性别在选择捐赠全身或器官方面没有统计学意义。受访者不愿意捐赠全身的主要原因是其家庭成员对此表示反对。在这项研究中抽样的 14 所医学院中，没有一所学校制定了遗体登记和捐赠计划。解剖学家对遗体捐赠计划表现出了很高的知识和认识水平，但他们的态度和实践却没有反映出这一点。作者建议采取积极措施，改善尼日利亚解剖学家的看法和态度。
