A multicenter study in Spanish, Mexican, and Cuban hospitals of attitude toward living kidney donation.

BACKGROUND: Living kidney donation (LKD) is a treatment with good results, although it is not very widely used in Spanish-speaking countries. OBJECTIVE: To analyze the attitude toward LKD among hospital personnel in healthcare centers in Spain and Latin America. MATERIAL/METHODS: Ten hospitals within the "International Collaborative Donor Project" were selected, from Spain, Mexico, and Cuba. A random sample was taken, which was stratified according to type of service and job category. RESULTS: Of the 2618 workers surveyed, 90% were in favor of related LKD, 6% were against it, and the remaining 4% were undecided. If the LKD was not related, then 32% were in favor. Other factors associated with a favorable attitude toward related LKD were: Working in Latin American hospitals (p<0.001); Working in clinical services (p=0.030); Having job stability (p=0.013); Having had personal experience of donation and transplantation (p=0.002); Being in favor of deceased donation (p<0.001); Considering the possibility of needing a transplant (p<0.001); Being in favor of living liver donation (p<0.001); Accepting a kidney from a living donor (p<0.001); Having spoken about donation and transplantation within family and partner (p<0.001); Having carried out pro-social activities (p<0.001); and Having no concern about the possible mutilation of the body after donation (p<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Hospital personnel had a favorable attitude toward LKD donation, both in Spain and Latin America. This attitude was related with factors of knowledge about and general attitude toward organ donation and transplantation, family factors, religious factors, and fear about mutilation remaining after the donation.