Abstract:

Raising informed generations about organ donation and organ transplantation is possible with informing students about organ donation from beginning of early ages. Based on this reason, the aim of this study is to explore middle school students’ opinions about organ donation and transplantation. A total of 272 middle school students from three different schools in Usak city participated in the study. After literature review, a questionnaire which was prepared by the authors was administrated to the students. Descriptive analysis (frequencies and percentages) was used for data analysis. The results revealed that more than half of the students were not knowledgeable about organ donation (61%) and the required conditions about organ donation (71%).  In addition, while most of the students were aware about the donation of organ like kidney, liver or heart, they were unaware about the transplantation of cornea and bone marrow. While most of students indicated that they would like to donate their organs because of ‘saving life’, ‘helping people’ and ‘religious beliefs’; some students indicated they would not donate their organ as because they were afraid of ‘deterioration of their body integrity’ and ‘their family would not allow’.  

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