KNOWLEDGE, ATTITUDE, AND WILLINGNESS TOWARDS ORGAN DONATION AND TRANSPLANTATION AMONG MEDICAL STUDENTS IN LADOKE AKINTOLA UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY, OGBOMOSHO, OYO STATE

Organ transplants have been one of the emerging standards of care for end-stage organ disease. Due to an increase in organ failure, the need for organ donation has surged significantly in recent years. Such a progression and high rate of success caused to increase in the request number of organ donations and the waiting time for donation. Organ donation is one of the survival procedures that with recent advances in technologies and immune system suppression lead to improve the life expectancy of end-stage patients Knowledge and attitudes towards organ donations are determinants of the willingness to donate an organ. The study involved medical students at LAUTECH in Ogbomosho, Nigeria, using a descriptive cross-sectional design. Data from 184 participants were collected through a questionnaire on organ donation and transplantation attitudes and knowledge. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS, focusing on demographic factors and attitudes. Ethical considerations, such as informed consent and confidentiality, were ensured. The discussion delves into the varied perspectives on organ donation among LAUTECH medical students, revealing that 98.4% of respondents are aware of organ donation, with 67.4% citing social media as their primary information source. Despite this high awareness, 16.3% of respondents exhibit poor knowledge, indicating persistent gaps in understanding. Notably, only 31.5% express a positive attitude towards organ donation, with 51.6% unwilling to donate their organs. However, positive attitudes significantly correlate with a willingness to donate organs, emphasizing the importance of fostering supportive environments during medical education. This research underscores the complexity of factors influencing knowledge and attitudes toward organ donation among medical students. While knowledge is relatively high, attitudes and willingness to donate do not necessarily align with this understanding. The findings from this study contribute to the growing body of literature on organ donation and can inform the development of policies and educational programs aimed at improving organ donation rates.