Understanding of and attitude to xenotransplantation among Italian university students: impact of a 3‐yr university course

Abstract

As in their first year, so too in their fourth, University students were well informed about the feasibility of transplanting animal organs into human beings and those attending science courses were more likely to accept this idea than art students. Approval of xenotransplantation was much the same among fourth year males and females, whereas in the first year, male students had approved more than female students.

The European experience

“…Another aspect of general public campaigns is that they often do not address the cultural microdiversity in the population and therefore are not likely to be effective and efficient [21]. Tailored educational efforts for specific targets have turned out to be more effective: Recent reports show that with educational intervention programs especially designed for secondary school or university students, the knowledge about the brain death concept, organ donation and transplantation can be increased substantially, resulting in improved opinions about deceased organ donation and a higher intention to donate organs [22][23][24][25]. Almost 80% of the students discussed organ donation with their families multiplying the effect of this approach [24].…”

Psychosocial challenges of xenotransplantation: the need for a multidisciplinary, religious, and cultural dialogue

“…2,7,8,[11][12][13][14][15][16][17]24,25 A tentative profile has been built up about those groups who are more likely to support the procedure. 2,7,[12][13][14]17,24 Some reports found that the general public was more disposed toward this form of therapy than were hospital personnel, 8,14,15 an observation that is perhaps confusing and potentially problematic. There remains, however, a lack of information on the relationship between a patient's theological beliefs (including atheists) and his or her personal attitude toward xenotransplantation, particularly in regard to those who may be opposed to xenotransplantation.…”

Xenotransplantation Literature Update May–June 2006

“…Canova et al [7] studied the acceptance of xenotransplantation among university students in Padova, Italy. More than 80% of the students knew that animal organs could be transplanted into humans, and 84% would accept an animal organ to save their life, if necessary.…”