......................................................................................................... The European Journal of Public Health, Vol. 29, No. 6, 1011–1018 ß The Author(s) 2019. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the European Public Health Association. All rights reserved. doi:10.1093/eurpub/ckz036 Advance Access published on 1 April 2019 ......................................................................................................... Psychological profile of teenagers toward organ donation: a multicentric study in Spain B. Febrero 1,2 , A. Rı´os 1,2 , A. Lo ´ pez-Navas 3 , L. Martı´nez-Alarco ´n 1,2 , J. Almela-Baeza 4 , J. Sa ´ nchez 5 , J. J. Parrilla 5 , P. Parrilla 1,2 , P. Ramı´rez 1,2,6 1 General Surgery Unit, Transplant Unit, Instituto Murciano de Investigacio ´ n Biome ´ dica (IMIB), Virgen de la Arrixaca University Hospital, Murcia, Spain 2 Department of Surgery, University of Murcia, Murcia, Spain 3 Department of Psychology, Universidad Cato ´ lica San Antonio (UCAM), Murcia, Spain 4 Audiovisual Communication, Faculty of Communication and Documentation, University of Murcia, Murcia, Spain 5 Transplant Unit, Virgen de la Arrixaca University Hospital, Murcia, Spain 6 Regional Transplantation Center, Consejerı´a de Sanidad y Consumo de la Regio ´ n de Murcia, Murcia, Spain Correspondence: Beatriz Febrero Sa ´ nchez, C./Santa Cruz, N  20-A, Molina de Segura, CP 30500 Murcia, Spain, Tel/Fax: +34 968 36 96 77, e-mail: beatrizfebrero@hotmail.com Background: It is important for teenagers to have a favorable attitude toward organ donation and transplantation (ODT) in order to increase the number of future donors. To determine the attitude of teenagers in the South East of Spain toward ODT and to analyze the psychosocial variables related to this attitude. Methods: The study population consisted of young teenagers in the South East of Spain. A stratified sample was selected by geo- graphical location, sex and age (n = 4, 117). Attitude was assessed using a validated questionnaire about ODT (PCID-ODT Rı´os). Statistical analysis: Student’s t-test, Chi-squared test and a multivariate analysis. Results: The questionnaire completion rate was 87% (n = 3572). Attitude toward ODT was favorable in 46% of cases (n = 1633) and undecided in 43% (n = 1543). Several psychosocial variables had a favorable effect on donation: believing that one has good information about ODT (Odds Ratio [OR] 1.706); discussing the subject with the family (OR 1.543) and friends (OR 1.818); carrying out pro-social activities (OR 1.642); having a favorable attitude toward cremation (OR 1.466) and autopsy (OR 1.470); and, finally, not being afraid of scars (OR 4.184). Conclusions: Teenagers in the South East of Spain are not currently inclined to support organ donation. This attitude is related to many psychosocial factors, mainly connected to not having good information about the subject, not discussing it in social circles and the fear of body mutilation. It would be appropriate to create educational interventional strategies in this group to prevent a negative impact on future donation rates. ......................................................................................................... Introduction O rgan transplantation is mainly limited by the shortage of organs available for transplantation, making the involvement of the general public essential in order to achieve high donation rates. 1 In this sense, the attitude of teenagers toward organ donation plays a crucial role, given that their attitude is going to affect donation rates in the future. 2 As well as representing future public opinion, they could heavily influence family members and friends, which means that the information they have about organ donation and transplantation (ODT) is even more important. 3 In the studies conducted until now there has been variability in the results in terms of teenage attitude toward ODT, as well as in the instruments used to measure this attitude. Furthermore, in recent years, some of these studies have shown a worsening in this attitude. 4–6 This variability in the methodologies of studies about teenage attitudes toward ODT and the decline in support among teenagers for organ donation found in some countries leads us to believe in the need for an appropriate method for measuring the attitude of teenagers in our region with the aim of adapting inform- ative campaigns in the population and preventing possible decreases in donation. 7 The objectives of this study were to: (i) determine the attitude of teenagers in the South East of Spain toward ODT; and (ii) analyze the psychosocial variables that are related to this attitude. Methods Study population The study population consisted of teenagers aged between 12 and 16 years in the South East of Spain. The number of teenagers aged between 12 and 16 years was 78 688 teenagers (8% of the total population), according to data from the Spanish Ministry of Education and Science (MEC). 8 Sample size By estimating a favorable attitude toward organ donation of 70%, with a confidence level of 95%, and a precision level of 1.4% (with a 5% expected loss ratio); a sample size of 4117 teenagers was estimated. Sample selection Sample stratification by geographical area, sex and age Stratification of the sample of teenagers was carried out taking into account the stratification of teenagers by geographical area, sex and age (table 1). Fieldwork design Location of the teenagers. The Spanish Secondary Education system has had a compulsory phase since 1966, called Compulsory Psychological profile of teenagers toward organ donation 1011 Downloaded from https://academic.oup.com/eurpub/article/29/6/1011/5424097 by guest on 16 July 2022