Knowledge and Attitudes Toward Organ Donation Among Students and Professionals in Medical Colleges in the Eastern Part of India.

BACKGROUND

Organ transplantation is a critical, life-saving procedure revolutionizing healthcare. Despite medical advancements, there remains a global shortage of organs available for transplantation. This is more pronounced in India where the organ donation rate is significantly low.

OBJECTIVE

To assess the knowledge and attitude toward organ donation among students and professionals in medical colleges of Patna, Bihar.

METHODS

A cross-sectional study was conducted in three government medical colleges located in Patna that included 666 participants comprising faculty, resident doctors, nursing staff, medical and nursing students, and interns. Data were collected using a pre-designed structured questionnaire comprising a socio-demographic profile and knowledge and attitude of participants toward organ donation. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and multivariate analysis.

RESULTS

The mean age of study participants was 23±4.24 (SD). The majority (504, 75.7%) of participants were aged between 21 and 30 years and the majority (372, 55.9%) were females. There were significant differences in knowledge about organ donation across groups. Faculty and resident doctors demonstrated higher awareness (113, 73.9%) compared to others. Attitude toward organ donation was positive overall, with the majority (614, 92.2%) supporting organ donation campaigns. However, misconceptions about organ donation and its legal aspects persisted among participants.

CONCLUSION

There is a need for targeted educational intervention to improve knowledge and dispel myths about organ donation among medical students and professionals.