Attitudes among Spanish and Latin American non-medical health professionals to living donor liver transplantation

• Published in: Gastroenterología y hepatología Vol. 35; no. 9; p. 625
• Main Authors: Ríos, Antonio, López-Navas, Ana, Ayala-García, Marco, Sebastián, María José, Abdo-Cuza, Anselmo, Martínez-Alarcón, Laura, Ramírez, Ector Jaime, Muñoz, Gerardo, Suárez-López, Juliette, Castellanos, Roberto, González, Beatriz, Martínez, Miguel Ángel, Díaz, Ernesto, Ramírez, Pablo, Parrilla, Pascual
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: Spanish
• Published: Spain 01.11.2012
• Subjects: Adult; Attitude of Health Personnel; Body Image; Cuba; Esthetics; Female; Health Care Surveys; Hospital Departments; Humans; Liver Transplantation - psychology; Living Donors - psychology; Male; Mexico; Middle Aged; Personnel, Hospital - psychology; Psychology; Religion; Sampling Studies; Social Behavior; Spain; Young Adult; Cuba; Mexico; Spain
• ISSN: 0210-5705
• DOI: 10.1016/j.gastrohep.2012.07.008

Hospital professionals are an opinion group that influences the general population. To analyze attitudes to living donor liver transplantation (LDLT) among non-medical professionals working in Spanish and Latin American hospitals and to determine the variables that influence these attitudes. A random sample, stratified by department, was selected from non-medical staff in the "International Donor Collaborative Project": there were three hospitals in Spain, five in Mexico and two in Cuba. Attitudes were evaluated through a validated, anonymous, self-administered questionnaire. There were 951 non-medical professionals: 277 from Spain, 632 from Mexico and 42 from Cuba. A total of 86% (n = 818) were in favor of related living donation and 31% (n = 299) were in favor of unrelated living donation. This attitude was associated with the following: country (Mexico 88%, Cuba 83%, Spain 81%) (p =0.016), female sex (p =0.026), having experience of donation and transplantation (p =0.001), having a favorable attitude to donation (P <0.001), considering the possibility of needing a transplant (P <0.001), being in favor of living kidney donation (P <0.001), being willing to accept a transplant from a living donor if necessary (P <0.001), discussing donation and transplantation with the family and partner (P <0.001), carrying out pro-social activities (P <0.001), believing that one's religion was in favor of donation and transplantation (P<0.001), and not worrying about bodily mutilation after donation (P <0.001). Attitudes toward related LDLT among non-medical staff in various Spanish, Mexican and Cuban hospitals are favorable. In 86% of those surveyed, this attitude was not influenced by classical psychosocial factors.