Ancillary personnel faced with living liver donation in a Spanish hospital with a transplant program.

INTRODUCTION: Ancillary hospital personnel represent an important body of opinion because as they work in a hospital their opinion has more credibility for the general public as a result of their activity in hospitals. However, in most cases they do not have any health care training which means that their attitude could be based on a lack of knowledge or unfounded fears. The objective of this study is to analyze the attitude toward living liver donation among ancillary personnel in a hospital with a cadaveric and living liver organ transplant program and to analyze the variables that might influence such attitude.

PATIENTS AND METHOD: A random sample was taken which was stratified by service (n=401) among ancillary personnel in the hospital. Attitude was evaluated using a survey that was validated in our geographical area. A representative from each service was contacted. This person was given an explanation of the study and was made responsible for the distribution of the questionnaire in selected work shifts. The survey was completed anonymously and was self-administered. The c2 test, Student s t-test and logistical regression analysis were used in the statistical analysis.

RESULTS: The questionnaire completion rate was 94% (n=377). Of all the respondents, 20% (n=74) are in favor of donating a living hemi-liver, but an additional 62% (n=233) are in favor if donation is for a relative. Of the rest, 8% (n=30) do not accept this type of donation and the remaining 11% (n=40) are unsure. The following variables are related to attitude toward living liver donation: attitude toward cadaveric donation (p=0.002); a respondent s belief that he or she might need a transplant in the future (p<0.001) and a willingness to receive a donated living liver if one were needed (p<0.001). In the multivariate analysis the following have been found to be significantly related variables: a) a respondent s belief that he or she might need a transplant in the future (OR=1.5); and b) a willingness to receive a living donated kidney if one were needed (OR=16.2).

CONCLUSIONS: Attitude toward living liver donation is fairly favorable among ancillary personnel in a transplant hospital and is not affected by the psychosocial factors found to be related to attitude toward donation in previous studies. However, if we want to encourage this type of transplantation with living donors it will be necessary to carry out informative campaigns to raise awareness within the hospital.