Attitudes, experiences and suggestions of health care professionals toward organ donation: a questionnaire-based study in the province of monza (northern italy)

The demand for organ transplantation increases progressively every year, with persistent disparity between donors and patients in the organ transplantation’s waiting list. In Italy, in 2010, it has been registered a 9.1% decrease in organ transplantation and contemporarily 9.489 patients are waiting for a transplant (opposition rate 31.5%). In the last ten years we actively participate in the information and education of the population about organ donation in collaboration with AIDO (Italian Association for Organ Donation) especially clarifying concepts like brain death and Italian legislation in organ donation consent. The role of health care professionals in organ procurement is crucial and to assess their attitudes, experiences and suggestions in relation to organ donation we have proposed a questionnaire-based study in the state Hospitals (San Gerardo (A) e Desio-Vimercate (B)) of the Province of Monza (Northern Italy). The questionnaire was proposed to the wholeness of health care professionals (4451) composed by 34 questions with closed responses, covering different issues on organ donation. Participation to the study was anonymous and voluntary. The response rate was 28% (A)/ 37% (B); median age was 41 years, 75.5% women and 19.7 men. The returned questionnaires were from 15.61% (A)/ 10,30% (B) physicians, 68.07% (A) / 68,07% (B) nurses and 10.70% (A) / 19,20% (B) laboratory professionals. 27,2% declare not to be enough informed on the matter; 24% have a donor in the family; 46% have a transplanted acquaintance; 8.3% have a transplanted relative; 70% have never answered to questions about organ donation/transplantation. There were good participation from health care professionals, especially nurses, with general support for organ donation (87%), but more and specific information has to be organised to make the health care professionals more aware of their fundamental role in connecting the citizen and his need of information