Knowledge, attitude and willingness of different ethnicities to participate in cadaver donation programs

PLoS One. 2020 Mar 12;15(3):e0229529. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0229529. eCollection 2020.

Abstract

Knowledge, attitude and willingness of ethnic minorities in China towards cadaver donation programs were assessed. Questionnaire and interviews were conducted to investigate Yi, Bai, Hani, Dai and Han ethnicities. Educational level and per capita income of ethnic minorities were lesser than those of Han ethnicity (p<0.01). Agriculture was the primary occupation and proportions of technical personnel and public officials was lesser among ethnic minorities (p<0.01). Surveyed ethnic minorities universally practice religious traditions, Bai and Dai ethnicities practice Buddhist beliefs also (p<0.01). Knowledge of Yi, Bai, Hani and Dai ethnic respondents was lesser than those of Han ethnicity (p<0.01). Over 83.8% of Yi, Bai, Hani and Dai ethnicity residents were unwilling to register for body donation programs with receiving a driver's license (p<0.01). Less than 46.9% of ethnic minorities supported use of honorary certificates (p<0.01). Ethnic minorities were supportive of financial compensation for body donations and denied that financial compensation led to the commercialization of cadaver donation (p<0.01, p<0.01). Willingness of ethnic minorities to participate in cadaver donation programs was primarily related to religious beliefs (p<0.01), economic status (p<0.01). Knowledge, attitude and willingness of ethnic minorities to participate in cadaver donation programs were markedly different from those of Han ethnicity, and the religious belief and economic status played a decisive role. To increase participation, programs based on respecting religious belief should be developed to support improvements in economy, education, medical care and social security system.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Cadaver
  • China
  • Decision Making
  • Ethnicity / psychology
  • Female
  • Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice / ethnology*
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Minority Groups / psychology
  • Religion
  • Religion and Psychology
  • Socioeconomic Factors
  • Surveys and Questionnaires
  • Tissue Donors / psychology*
  • Tissue Donors / statistics & numerical data
  • Tissue and Organ Procurement / methods
  • Tissue and Organ Procurement / trends*

Grants and funding

This work was supported by the National Outstanding Youth Science Fund Project of National Natural Science Foundation of China grant (the National Natural Science Foundation of China)81460492, Basic Research Grant of Yunnan Province grant 2017FE468-189, Teaching Reform and Teaching Research of Kunming Medical University grant 2019-JY-Y-005. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.