Attitudes and behaviors of religious officials with regard to organ transplant and donation in Kayseri, Turkey

Shortage of cadaveric organs for transplantation is an important problem in Turkey, but donation is not in the requested levels. Studies have suggested that attitudes concerning organ donation are influenced by many factors, such as religion. In this cross-sectional study, a questionnaire was applied to all of the 540 religious officials working in Kayseri Province, Turkey.
Most (%90.8) of the religious officials declare that they believe the importance of organ donation. Half of them state that they are in favor of donating their organs but only a small proportion (%1,1) had signed the organ donation card.  According to research group, the main reasons of insufficiency of organ donation in our country is the belief in preservation of an intact body,  not trusting to organ transplant  organizations and  worry about “brain death” versus true death.
Of the group, 21.2 % of them are willing to donate their organs to close relatives in their lifetime. As the same rate, 21.2 % of the respondents are willing to donate the organs of close relatives after their death.  While 61.3 % of our respondents said that organ donation was in accord with Islamic belief, 38.0 % believed that it is appropriate to donate organs or tissues of close relatives after their brain death.
Majority ( 90.8 %) of the group said that they had information previously about organ donation, but most of  them do not have enough knowledge where to donate the organs, the requirements for donation and transplant, brain death concept. Twenty-five point six % of the group stated that they did not have enough information about organ donation.
As a result, although the research groups have positive ideas about organ donation and transplant, their role was low in informing and motivating people about organ donation and transplant.