Do Spanish Medical Students Understand the Concept of Brain Death?

Abstract

Objective:

To analyze the level of understanding of the brain death concept among medical students in universities in Spain.

Methods:

This cross-sectional sociological, interdisciplinary, and multicenter study was performed on 9598 medical students in Spain. The sample was stratified by geographical area and academic year. A previously validated self-reported measure of brain death knowledge (questionnaire Proyecto Colaborativo Internacional Donante sobre la Donación y Transplante de Organos) was completed anonymously by students.

Results:

Respondents completed 9275 surveys for a completion rate of 95.7%. Of those, 67% (n = 6190) of the respondents understood the brain death concept. Of the rest, 28% (n = 2652) did not know what it meant, and the remaining 5% (n = 433) believed that it did not mean that the patient was dead. The variables related to a correct understanding of the concept were: (1) being older (P < .001), (2) studying at a public university (P < .001), (3) year of medical school (P < .001), (4) studying at one of the universities in the south of Spain (P = .003), (5) having discussed donation and transplantation with the family (P < .001), (6) having spoken to friends about the matter (P < .001), (7) a partner’s favorable attitude toward donation and transplantation (P < .001), and (8) religious beliefs (P < .001).

Conclusions:

Sixty-seven percent of medical students know the concept of brain death, and knowledge improved as they advanced in their degree.

Keywords

attitude medical students organ donation brain death psychosocial factors university

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