International multicenter opinion study: administrative personnel from Spanish and Mexican health centers faced with human organ donation for transplantation

Abstract

Introduction: Administrative personnel from healthcare centers are an important opinion group given their direct relationship to patients and the general public.

Objective: The objective of this study was to analyze the attitudes of administrative personnel in Spanish and Mexican healthcare centers toward various kinds of donation.

Material and methods: A random selection of 418 administrative staff from 32 primary care centers and 9 hospitals in Spain and Mexico ("Proyecto Donante, Murcia") used a validated questionnaire to explore attitudes.

Results: Most (76%) respondents favored deceased donation. Mexican workers had the most favorable attitude (P<.001). Factors influencing this attitude (P<.05) were as follows: type of healthcare center, clinical service, personal experience of organ donation and transplantation (ODT), attitude toward living donation, attitude toward the donation of a family member's organs, discussion of ODT, partner's attitude toward ODT, participation in pro-social activities, and variables related to attitudes toward the body. Most respondents (89%) favored related living kidney donation (LKD) and 87% favored living liver donation (LLD). Mexican respondents showed the most favorable attitudes (P<.05). Factors influencing this attitude (P<.05) were as follows: personal experience of ODT, belief that a transplant is needed, willingness to accept a living organ, family discussion about ODT, partner's attitude about the matter, and respondent's awareness of the view of his or her religion toward ODT.

Conclusion: Attitudes toward deceased organ donation were not favorable among administrative personnel from Spanish compared with Mexican centers, although attitudes toward LKD and LLD were favorable in both countries.