Knowledge and attitudes of students at the President Stanisław Wojciechowski University of Kalisz towards transplantology

Introduction:
Transplantology is an extremely important method of treatment that saves the lives of patients with end-stage organ failure. The aim of the study was to assess the level of knowledge and attitudes of students regarding selected aspects of transplantology.

Material and methods:
The research was conducted among 205 students from medical and non-medical faculties at the President Stanisław Wojciechowski University of Kalisz. An author’s questionnaire was used for the study (with the consent of Marta Perkowska). The statistical analysis was performed using the Kolmogorov-Smirnov, Mann-Whitney U and Kruskal-Wallis tests. The value of p < 0.05 was considered statistically significant.

Results:
The level of students’ knowledge about transplantology was below average and scored 4.40 ±1.81 points. The study group accepted the removal of organs from deceased people in order to save the life or health of others (90.2%), while 70.2% supported organ harvesting from living donors. The life attitudes of the studied group were shaped to the greatest extent by family (mean 3.45 ±0.90) and peers (mean 2.64 ±0.98).

Conclusions:
The group of students surveyed demonstrated an unsatisfactory, below average level of knowledge about transplantology. Medical students possessed greater knowledge and exhibited more positive practices toward transplantation compared to non-medical students. The respondents accepted the removal of organs from the deceased and from the living. Shaping correct attitudes towards human life and developing positive practices related to organ donation ought to take place in the family and in educational institutions.