%0 Journal Article
%T Attitude of Healthcare Professionals: A Major Limiting Factor in Organ Donation from Brain-Dead Donors
%A Maciej Kosieradzki
%A Anna Jakubowska-Winecka
%A Michal Feliksiak
%A Ilona Kawalec
%A Ewa Zawilinska
%A Roman Danielewicz
%A Jaroslaw Czerwinski
%A Piotr Malkowski
%A Wojciech Rowi¨½ski
%J Journal of Transplantation
%D 2014
%I Hindawi Publishing Corporation
%R 10.1155/2014/296912
%X Public attitude toward deceased donor organ recovery in Poland is quite positive, with only 15% opposing to donation of their own organs, yet actual donation rate is only 16/pmp. Moreover, donation rate varies greatly (from 5 to 28 pmp) in different regions of the country. To identify the barriers of organ donation, we surveyed 587 physicians involved in brain death diagnosis from regions with low (LDR) and high donation rates (HDR). Physicians from LDR were twice more reluctant to start diagnostic procedure when clinical signs of brain death were present (14% versus 5.5% physicians from HDR who would not diagnose death, resp.). Twenty-five percent of LDR physicians (as opposed to 12% of physicians from HDR) would either continue with intensive therapy or confirm brain death and limit to the so-called minimal therapy. Only 32% of LDR physicians would proceed with brain death diagnosis regardless of organ donation, compared to 67% in HDR. When donation was not an option, mechanical ventilation would be continued more often in LDR regions (43% versus 26.7%; . In conclusion, low donation activity seems to be mostly due to medical staff attitude. 1. Introduction Transplantation has become a nearly universal therapy of choice for patients with organ failure. The number of patients waiting for solid organs is on the rise in every country. Despite all efforts, the number of available organs is inadequate and 5¨C25% of all patients on the waiting list will die [1¨C3]. Organ transplantation is one of the few medical procedures which cannot be carried out without positive attitude, understanding, and cooperation of the whole society. It has been often believed that low deceased donors (DD) organ donation rate is mainly due to the poor societal perception and nonacceptance (for a number of reasons) of brain death concept. However, several studies have shown that perception of organ donation and transplantation in lay society and their attitude toward transplantation are (at least theoretically) generally positive [4¨C6]. Factors affecting and improving this attitude have been identified. Wakefield et al. [7] published a review on society¡¯s opinions toward organ donation based on 33 most relevant studies regarding this topic. The results confirmed that younger people, especially women, of higher socioeconomic status, educated, with knowledge and awareness of organ donation, who personally knew an organ donor or recipient, with positive family attitude and altruistic beliefs are more willing to donate. People of various medical professions, health care administration,
%U http://www.hindawi.com/journals/jtrans/2014/296912/