METHODS: A cross-sectional analytical study was carried out. Self-administered questionnaires were given to 400 patients who registered at an outpatient clinic in April 2018. Convenience sampling was applied.
RESULTS: Monthly income, education level, occupation, and knowledge level are significantly associated with attitude of the respondents toward organ and tissue donation. Occupation influenced attitude toward organ donation. Knowledge of organ donation and brain death both significantly affected attitude toward organ donation.
CONCLUSION: The greater the knowledge of organ donation and brain death, the more positive impression or attitude toward organ donation. Education level and income are the main predictors that influence attitude toward organ donation. Hence, it is important for public health units to promote and deliver public education on organ donation, change public misconceptions, and work parallel with hospitals to increase organ donation rates in Sabah.
MATERIALS AND METHODS: We used self-administered questionnaires to investigate the attitude of 382 health care professionals from the University of Malaya Medical Center between January and February 2014. The responses were analyzed using logistic regression.
RESULTS: Of the 382 respondents, 175 (45.8%) stated that they would officially object to organ donation if the presumed consent system were to be implemented, whereas the remaining 207 (54.2%) stated that they would not object. The logistic regression showed that health care professionals from the Malay ethnic group were more likely to object than those from Chinese (adjusted odds ratio of 0.342; P = .001) and Indian and other (adjusted odds ratio of 0.341; P = .003) ethnic groups. Health care professionals earning 3000 Malaysian Ringgit or below were more likely to object than those earning above 3000 Malaysian Ringgit (adjusted odds ratio of 1.919; P = .006). Moreover, respondents who were initially unwilling to donate organs, regardless of the donation system, were more likely to object under the presumed consent system than those who were initially willing to donate (adjusted odds ratio of 2.765; P < .001).
CONCLUSIONS: Health care professionals in Malaysia have a relatively negative attitude toward the presumed consent system, which does not encourage the implementation of this system in the country at present. To pave the way for a successful implementation of the presumed consent system, efforts should be initiated to enhance the attitude of health care professionals toward this system. In particular, these efforts should at most target the health care professionals who are Malay, earn a low income, and have a negative default attitude toward deceased donation.
METHODOLOGY: This is a retrospective cohort study recruiting all kidney transplant recipients in South Australia from January 2010 till December 2018. Following that, the incidence of blood transfusion within one week post-operatively were traced (transfusion group). The outcomes were compared with all other transplant recipients (non-transfusion group). Recipient's demographic, donor characteristics and immunological risk profiles were obtained from the transplant unit database, while the biopsy report, history of blood transfusion, latest serum creatinine and follow-up status was gathered from the electronic medical system (OASIS). The HLA-DSA and HLA-Ab results were collected from the NOMS database. Finally, the survival data were merged with the Australia and New Zealand Dialysis and Transplant (ANZDATA) Registry for South Australia recipients graft survival.
RESULTS: A total of 699 patients were eligible for analysis. The mean age was 50.64 ± 13.23 years old. There were more elderly (>65 years old) and females who needed transfusion. The majority had glomerulonephritis as the primary disease. There was no statistical difference in donor characteristics, cold ischemic time and immunological risk between the transfusion and non-transfusion group. There was no difference in the development of de novo HLA-DSA, HLA-Ab and rejection episodes between the group and the results were consistent in a model adjusted for all potential confounders. Median graft survival in days between the transfusion vs non-transfusion group was 1845 IQR (961,2430) and 1250 IQR (672,2013).
CONCLUSION: Blood transfusion under strong immunosuppressive cover within a one-week post-operative period is safe with no significant association with the development of de novo HLA-DSA, HLA-Ab or clinical rejection.