Most Bulgarians are ready to donate their organ to a relative or relative in need. This is indicated by the data from a survey by the "Trend" agency, BTA reports.
The survey was conducted among 1,002 adult respondents in the period October 16-22, 2024. The data were presented during a discussion "Attitudes of Bulgarians towards donation and transplantation".
More than half of those surveyed - 55%, stated that they would donate their organ to a relative or relative if there was a life-saving need. 19% say they would not do it, and 26% say they cannot decide.
62% approve of organ donation, compared to 18% who do not approve and 20% who cannot decide. When asked whether they would agree to donate their own organs after death, 40% of those surveyed answered positively. 34% would not agree, and 26% cannot decide. Eight out of ten people have not even talked to their loved ones about donation.
The study shows that people in the 30-60 age group, who are well-informed about the topic, show higher support for donation. Among people over 60 years of age, higher disapproval is reported.
33% of participants are not at all familiar with the topic of donation, and 34% indicate that they are rather not familiar. 5% of those surveyed stated that they are fully familiar with the topic of donation. 7% are fully familiar with the concept of "brain death", 31% indicate that they are rather unfamiliar, 34% respond that they are rather familiar, and 24% are completely unfamiliar.
A little over 1/3 are familiar with the fact that brain death is an irreversible condition. Nearly half would trust a doctor when diagnosing "brain death", with the more highly educated having greater trust in doctors.
The reason for not trusting the medical diagnosis for 68% of the participants is the fear of a wrong diagnosis. For 60%, the reason for distrust is a lack of trust in doctors, for 51% - suspicion of doctors' involvement in illegal schemes related to donation, for 30% - experience with wrong diagnoses of their relatives, etc.
When asked why they would not agree to become organ donors after their death, 42% stated that they did not consider themselves suitable donors, 38% answered that doctors may not do what is necessary to save their lives, 30% are afraid of the process, and 27% express fear that their lives may be endangered, etc.
Nearly 40% of those surveyed would like their relatives to donate their organs after their death, and 32% - no. Nearly 30% cannot decide. 77% of all respondents stated that they had not shared their wish with their relatives.
When asked if they had to personally decide whether to donate organs to a loved one, could they make such a decision, 47% stated that they could not, 30% answered that they could decide, and 23% did not know and could not judge, with the highest - 70% - unable to make a decision due to emotional difficulty.
The study shows that familiarity with the topic of donation is unsatisfactory. It is assumed that a large part of the respondents do not answer the questions related to consent to become donors, probably out of fear of the unknown interviewer.
The Director of the Executive Agency "Medical Supervision" (IAMH) Yordanka Dineva emphasized that trust is a fundamental part of donation, because the good that arises after donation can only be achieved in this way. She indicated that the Sofia Medical College will send young doctors abroad to be trained in the field of organ transplantation.