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Attitudes and Behaviors Regarding Organ Donation: a Study on Officials of Religion in Turkey

Journal of Religion and Health volume 52, pages 439–449 (2013)Cite this article

Abstract

The aim of this study is to determine the attitudes and behaviors of religious scholars regarding organ donation and transplantation. In this study, 540 officials working in the Department of Religious Affairs in Kayseri, Turkey, were included. Overall, 86.6% response rate (n = 468) was achieved. Although a majority of the officials of religion in this study stated that they believed in the importance of organ donation (90.8%), the rate of considering donation (57.9%) and the donation rate (1.1%) were found to be substantially low. There is a difference between the employment status and willingness to donate organs. The rate of willingness to donate was significantly high in men than women. And also was high in imams and preachers. Regarding the sources of information, the majority of the respondents (70.0%) cited mass media. Overall, 15.3% cited school education and 42.0% religious publications. The most common question (83.1%) that was asked was “whether or not organ donation was suitable for Muslim religious”. Our study revealed that although the research groups have positive ideas about organ donation and transplantation, their role was low in informing and motivating people about organ donation and transplantation.

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Author information

Affiliations

  1. Office of Health Authority of Kayseri, Kayseri, Turkey

    Emel Güden

  2. Department of Public Health, Erciyes University Medical Faculty, Kayseri, Turkey

    Fevziye Çetinkaya

  3. Department of Medical Education, Erciyes University Medical Faculty, Kayseri, Turkey

    Melis Naçar

Authors
  1. Emel Güden
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  2. Fevziye Çetinkaya
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  3. Melis Naçar
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Correspondence to Fevziye Çetinkaya.

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Güden, E., Çetinkaya, F. & Naçar, M. Attitudes and Behaviors Regarding Organ Donation: a Study on Officials of Religion in Turkey. J Relig Health 52, 439–449 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10943-011-9490-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10943-011-9490-8

Keywords

  • Organ donation
  • Religious population
  • Attitudes