Factors behind negative attitudes toward cadaveric organ donation: a comparison between medical and non-medical students in China.

BACKGROUND: The purposes of this study were to identify knowledge and attitudes held by Chinese university students regarding cadaveric organ donation and to understand the factors that drive negative attitudes. METHODS: Questionnaires were delivered to 200 medical and 200 non-medical students chosen by random assignment at Central South University in China. RESULTS: Of the 400 distributed questionnaires, 369 were completed and returned. Medical students were more likely than non-medical students to have knowledge of cadaveric organ donation, brain death, and its diagnostic criteria, as well as the appropriate time to conduct cadaveric organ donation. Furthermore, medical students were more likely than non-medical students to donate organs after death. For both medical students and non-medical students, family disapproval, public misconception, traditional culture, suspicion of premature withdrawal from life support, lack of knowledge about cadaveric organ donation, concern about inappropriate use of donated organs, and low education degree were associated with their unwillingness to donate cadaveric organs. Meanwhile, religious belief, insufficient laws and regulations, and lack of promotion were associated with medical students' negative attitude; for non-medical students, negative attitudes were also associated with nontransparent process of donation, sex, only-child, and young age. CONCLUSION: Most Chinese student participants in this study held negative attitudes toward cadaveric organ donation. Furthermore, a considerable number of students remained indecisive, thus identifying a group of potential donors for interventionists to address when promoting cadaveric organ donation in the future.

Validation of EORTC QLQ-LC43 for Chinese patients with lung cancer.

OBJECTIVES: To test the validity, reliability and acceptability of the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire-Lung Cancer 43 (EORTC QLQ-LC43) for Chinese patients with lung cancer. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Patients from Tianjin Cancer Institution and Hospital with lung cancer were enrolled in this study. All were treated in Tianjin Cancer Institution and Hospital from December 2012 to April 2013. All participants self-administered the EORTC QLQ-LC43 and the Short Form 36 Health Survey (SF-36). The Karnofsky performance scale (KPS) was performed to evaluate scores. Reliability test of the questionnaires was based on Cronbach's α coefficients, Pearson correlation test and Kruskal-Wallis test. RESULTS: This study included 317 inpatients and outpatients. The Cronbach's α coefficients were >0.70 in all scales of the two questionnaires, except that of cognitive functioning. High correlations were found among the quality of life (QoL), physical functioning, role functioning, dyspnea, and KPS scores (r>0.40). Mild correlations were discovered among the rest of the items. Dividing the participants into three groups based on the KPS scores showed that QoL and functional scales scores progressively decreased and the symptom items scores progressively increased as KPS scores decreased. All inter-group differences were statistically significant (P<0.05). CONCLUSION: The EORTC QLQ-LC43 is a reliable and valid instrument in patients with lung cancer and is appropriate for measuring the QoL of Chinese patients.