Attitude of intensive care specialists toward deceased organ donation in Germany. Results of a questionnaire at the 12th Congress of the German Interdisciplinary Association for Intensive and Emergency Medicine

Abstract

Background. Organ transplantation is the only treatment option for many patients with end-organ failure. Due to lack of transplantable organs, patients already on the waiting list die every day. The number of organ donors in Germany fell in 2012 by 12.8%, reaching its lowest level since 2002. The medical and nursing personnel in intensive care units have a key role in the recruitment of potential organ donors; therefore, a survey was conducted on this subject. Materials and methods. At the 12th Congress of the German Interdisciplinary Association for Intensive and Emergency Medicine (DIVI) in December 2012, a point prevalence study using a paper-pencil survey was performed. Results. A total of 1045 questionnaires were analyzed. Of respondents, 81% favor organ donation in the event of their own brain death. The approval rate in the medical profession was 84% and 75% of the nursing profession. Only 45.3% of the participants (47% physicians, nursing 44%) had an organ donor card and nearly half (45%) had already confided their opinion towards organ donation to their family or friends. The main reasons for a lack of acceptance of organ donation was the concept of brain death (40%), fear of abuse by organ trade (29%), and the lack of integrity of the body after death (11%). The particularly intense discussion about organ donation and transplantation in 2012 resulted in a predominantly negative change of attitude in 45% of respondents. Conclusion. The vast majority of the intensive care personnel supports organ donation, but less than half of the respondents have an organ donor card. The reports of irregularities in the organ allocation were scrutinized, but had apparently no significant impact on the individual and collective fundamental donor decision.