Abstract:

Cadaver's dissection has a fundamental role in teaching and understanding the anatomy. Postmortem body donation (PMBD) is an important source of cadavers and provides an opportunity to carry out research or educational activities in medicine and surgery. The objective of the current study is to determine the perspectives and attitudes toward PMBD among blood donors (BLD) and elderly people. These data are fundamental to highlight the PMBD extent and individual factors that might influence PMBD. Concerning the perception of body donation (BD) among BLD and elderly, the most common reason for BD was the contribution in research, in both study groups, while the commonest reason for hesitating BD was the lack of information following by personal reasons, concerning BLD and the elderly. The BLD were more likely to be interesting in BD for contribution in research and personal reasons. Additionally, BLD compare to the elderly were less likely to hesitate BD for religious and personal reasons and more likely to hesitate BD for not being informed. BLD who interested in BD for contribution in research were significantly older. Elderly that hesitated BD for personal reasons was significantly older. In BLD group, those that responded that blood and body donation are the same were significantly younger, while in the elderly were significantly older. The proportion of BLD that declared that blood and body donation is the same was significantly higher in more educated people. A need for well-organized and informative BD programs is evident. Orientating the public towards this practice is of high moral and medical value, since with this important promotion the altruistic act of BD will expand globally.