Document Type : Original Article

Authors

Abstract

OBJECTIVES: Knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors are essential factors in fostering an environment
that positively influences organ donation rates. Thus, the present study aimed to assess the impact
of intervention (classroom education) on knowledge, attitude, and practices on organ donation.
MATERIALS AND METHODS: A questionnaire‑based interventional study was conducted among
112 dental house surgeon students, Hyderabad. A 27‑item self‑administered questionnaire was
distributed to students as a pretest and collected back after completion. Then, a session on organ
donation was delivered in a lecture hall setting instilling the basic facts about organ donation. Posttests
using the same questionnaire were filled after the intervention and 2 weeks later.
RESULTS: Responses on knowledge obtained from the subjects showed significant changes in
several key areas from baseline to postintervention and at follow‑up. More than 50% of study subjects
had a positive attitude regarding organ donation. There was a significant increase in the number
of subjects who pledged/signed to donate an organ (before ‑ 14.3%, postintervention ‑ 50%, and
at follow‑up ‑ 60.7%; P < 0.05). Pairwise comparison revealed a significant increase in the mean
knowledge, attitude, and practice scores at postintervention and at follow‑up of 2 weeks in comparison
to the baseline scores. Female subjects and subjects following Hindu religion had good knowledge,
positive attitude, and good practice.
CONCLUSION: The one brief educational intervention had significantly increased perceived
knowledge of organ donation and positively influenced attitude and practices to organ donation
among dental students.

Keywords

1. Ranganath TS. Organ Donation. Natl J Public Health 2016;1:5.
2. World Health Organisation. Global Glossary of Terms and
Definitions on Donationand Transplantation. Geneva: World
Health Organisation; 2009. p. 14.
3. SugumarJP, PadhyegurjarMS, Padhyegurjar SB. An interventional
study on knowledge and attitude regarding organ donation
among medical students. Int J Med Sci Public Health 2017;6:402‑8.
4. Laws of Organ Donation in India | Laws Made Easy. Available
from: http://www.organindia.org/laws‑made‑easy/. [Last
accessed on 2017 Dec 18].
5. Keerthana P, Laiju LV, Monteiro M, Thomas N, D’Souza RP,
Shetty AP. Organ donation: Knowledge and attitude among
adolescents. Am Int J Res Sci Technol Eng Math 2016;16:52‑5.
6. Huern SY, Yee KC, Rajah JS, Ponniah MP, Sapini MIB. Knowledge,
awareness and attitudes on organ donation among undergraduate
medical students in Malaysia: An analytical cross sectional study.
Br J Med Med Res 2016;16:1‑14.
7. Chung CK, Ng CW, Li JY, Sum KC, Man AH, Chan SP, et al.
Attitudes, knowledge, and actions with regard to organ donation
among Hong Kong medical students. Hong Kong Med J
2008;14:278‑85.
8. Gauher ST, Khehar R, Rajput G, Hayat A, Bakshi B, Chawla H,
et al. The factors that influence attitudes toward organ donation
for transplantation among UK university students of Indian and
Pakistani descent. Clin Transplant 2013;27:359‑67.
9. Feeley TH. College student’s knowledge, attitudes and behaviours
regarding organ donation: An integrated review of the literature.
J Appl Soc Psychol 2007;37:243‑71.
10. Mekahli D, Liutkus A, Fargue S, Ranchin B, Cochat P. Survey of
first‑year medical students to assess their knowledge and attitudes
toward organ transplantation and donation. Transplant Proc
2009;41:634‑8.
11. Ahlawat R, Kumar V, Gupta AK, Sharma RK, Minz M, Jha V, et al.
Attitude and knowledge of healthcare workers in critical areas
towards deceased organ donation in a public sector hospital in
India. Natl Med J India 2013;26:322‑6.
12. Mithra P, Ravindra P, Unnikrishnan B, Rekha T, Kanchan T,
Kumar N, et al. Perceptions and attitudes towards organ donation
among people seeking healthcare in tertiary care centers of coastal
South India. Indian J Palliat Care 2013;19:83‑7.
13. Chakradhar K, Doshi D, Srikanth Reddy B, Kulkarni S,
Padma Reddy M, Sruthi Reddy S, et al. Knowledge, attitude and
practice regarding organ donation among Indian dental students.
Int J Organ Transplant Med 2016;7:28‑35.
14. Cárdenas V, Thornton JD, Wong KA, Spigner C, Allen MD. Effects
of classroom education on knowledge and attitudes regarding
organ donation in ethnically diverse urban high schools. Clin
Transplant 2010;24:784‑93.
15. Tandon S. Challenges to the oral health workforce in India. J Dent
Educ 2004;68:28‑33.
16. McGladeD, PierscionekB. Can education alter attitudes, behaviour
and knowledge about organ donation? A pretest‑post‑test study.
BMJ Open 2013;3:e003961.
17. Ramadurg UY, Gupta A. Impact of an educational intervention on
increasing the knowledge and changing the attitude and beliefs
towards organ donation among medical students. J Clin Diagn
Res 2014;8:JC05‑7.18. Agarwal S. Are medical students having enough knowledge about
organ donation. IOSR J Dent Med Sci 2015;14:29‑34.
19. Ilango S, Nandhini UM, Manikandan S, Sembulingam P.
Awareness of organ donation among fresh students in medical
field. Int J Med Sci Clin Invent 2014;1:274‑83.
20. Vinay KV, Beena N, Sachin KS, Praveen S. Changes in knowledge
and attitude among medical students towards organ donation
and transplantation. Int J Anat Res 2016;4:2873‑7.
21. Feeley TH, Tamburlin J, Vincent DE. An educational intervention
on organ and tissue donation for first‑year medical students. Prog
Transplant 2008;18:103‑8.
22. Shantha SG, Sharma E. Effect of structured teaching programme
regarding organ donation on knowledge and attitude among
nursing students. Int J Recent Sci Res 2016;7:12464‑7.
23. Coelho JC, Cilião C, Parolin MB, de Freitas AC, Gama Filho OP,
Saad DT, et al. Opinion and knowledge of the population of a
Brazilian city about organ donation and transplantation. Rev
Assoc Med Bras (1992) 2007;53:421‑5.
24. Coad L, Carter N, Ling J. Attitudes of young adults from the UK
towards organ donation and transplantation. Transplant Res
2013;2:9.
25. Annadurai K, Mani K, Ramasamy J. A study on knowledge,
attitude and practices about organ donation among college
students in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, 2012. Prog Health Sci
2013;3:59‑65.
26. British Broadcasting Corporation; 15 October 2003. Hinduism and
Organ Donation; 2014. Available from: http://www.bbc.co.uk/
religion/religions/hinduism/hinduethics/organdonation.
shtml. [Last retrieved on 2007 Dec 18].
27. Murakami M, Fukuma S, Ikezoe M, Nakamura M, Yamamoto Y,
Yamazaki S, et al. Effect of an educational program on attitudes
towards deceased organ donation. Ann Transplant 2015;20:269‑78.
28. Radunz S, Benkö T, Stern S, Saner FH, Paul A, Kaiser GM, et al.
Medical students’ education on organ donation and its evaluation
during six consecutive years: Results of a voluntary, anonymous
educational intervention study. Eur J Med Res 2015;20:23.