PANDEMIC CHANGING ATTITUDE OF MEDICAL STUDENTS TOWARDS BODY DONATION

Abstract

Between 2018 and 2020 we carried out a research project endorsed by the University Secretary of Science and Technology, based on different group’s surveys, to obtain supporting data for the creation of the Program for Body Procurement and Donation. As the pandemic COVID-19 stopped all face-to-face educational activities and seriously affected the reception of bodies for teaching and research, in 2021 we reiterated a survey on some similar data, with the aim of evaluating the impact the pandemic had had on the opinion of two of these groups (medical students). This survey included 1406 students from all years of the career, who were asked about their knowledge on body donation and the Program, their interest in collaborating with it, their willingness to donate their own body and reasons for doing or not doing so. Results showed a similar composition of the samples in relation to age, gender, geographic origin, religion and differences in each year of the career (compared with those of 2018). Specific aspects also evidenced similarities about knowledge of the possibility of donating (p=0.0812) and interest in collaborating with the Program (p=0.2460), but reached 72% (p=<0.0001) in willingness to donate their own body. We also analyzed the reasons to donate and not donate in the context of the pandemic and concluded that it positively influenced these results; directly, due to the increased appreciation of scientific research and indirectly, because the pandemic facilitated communications and access to scientific information online.