Veerachai Sachdev
Mahidol University, Thailand
Title: Attitudes and awareness about organ donation amongst patients visiting Ramathibodi Hospital: An in-depth interview qualitative research
Biography
Biography: Veerachai Sachdev
Abstract
Objective: To understand the belief in regards to the attitudes and awareness about organ donation amongst patients visiting a tertiary hospital in Bangkok.
Design: An in-depth interview was conducted on 38 participants at Family Medicine Department; participants were aged between 18-78 years. Participants were identified as Buddhist (92%), Islam (5%) and Christian (3%).
Recruitment: Patients were recruited randomised and unselected similar to “real life practice” and consent was obtained prior to conducting interview.
Results: 6 themes were identified which aimed to address the attitudes and awareness of organ donation amongst patients visiting Ramathibodi Hospital. The themes include: Perception on organ donation; Personal view on death and dying; General knowledge about organ donation; Understanding the law and regulation about organ donation; Religious belief and implication on organ donation and; “opt-in” organ donor on national identity card.
Conclusion: An organ transplant may represent a new life for an individual receiving the organ, at the same time a sense of hope removed from the depths of sorrow and grief in the case of a dead donor. Today, the major obstacles regarding organ transplantation in Thailand is the lack of organ donor. In 2014, there were over 4.431 patients registered with Thai Red Cross to receive organ donation and only 432 people actually received which accumulated to 9.7% of total patients waiting to receive an organ.