The creation of a body donation program at Federal University of Juiz de Fora in Brazil: academic importance, challenges and donor profile

• Published in: Anatomy & cell biology Vol. 54; no. 4; pp. 489 - 500
• Main Authors: Oliveira, André Gustavo Fernandes de, Gonçalves, Augusto Ferreira, Soares, Júlia Nunes, Salgado, Letícia Henriques Neto, Santana, Bruno Silveira, Passos, Matheus Venâncio, Reis, Juliana Lopes de Oliveira, Arantes, Gustavo Candiá, Campos, Luís Filipe Sarmento, Carvalho, Matheus Souza, Gama, Lucas Cotrim Furtado da, Rezende, Alice Belleigoli
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Korea (South) Korean Association of Anatomists 31.12.2021; 대한해부학회
• Subjects: Original; 해부학; Body donation; Donors; Anatomy; Health education
• ISSN: 2093-3665; 2093-3673
• DOI: 10.5115/ACB.21.096

Dissection and human specimens study remain the gold standard method for teaching anatomy. Due to the increasing health science courses in Brazil, the traditional way of obtaining bodies for scientific purposes, the unclaimed ones, became insufficient. In addition, this source is no longer ethically appropriate according to anatomists. In order to maintain the teaching quality, the Federal University of Juiz de Fora (UFJF) in Brazil, inspired by successful initiatives around the world, created a body donation program; . Besides the bureaucratic difficulty faced during its regulation, the implementation of a body donation program requires special attention regarding the religiosity, culture and uniqueness of the city's inhabitants. Informing people can demystify the process, avoid prejudice and increase the number of donors. In this way, an outreach project was designed to publicize and raise public awareness. In the first six years, reached the mark of 64 registered donors and seven bodies received. The donor's profile corresponds to female (70.3%), 57 years of age, retired (50.8%), spiritist (53.1%) and with 12 years or more of formal education (90.6%). Considering that the UFJF has not received unclaimed bodies for ten years, the program was considered satisfactory up to this level and, in the future, it may be the exclusive source of anatomical specimens. The description of the creation and the publicizing of , the overcome challenges, as well as the donors' profile, may encourage and facilitate the foundation of similar programs in Brazil and abroad.