Organ Donation Perspectives Among College Students: Influence of Culture, Religion, and Misinformation

Shefali Roy

Co-Presenters: Individual Presentation

College: Hennings College of Science Mathematics and Technology

Major: BS.BIO/HEALTHPROF

Faculty Research Mentor: Nkansah, Eunice  

Abstract:

Research Topic: Organ Donation Perspectives Among College Students: Influence of Culture, Religion, and MisinformationAbstractThe shortage of organ donors in the United States remains a significant public health concern, despite public support for organ donation. For many college students, despite their strong intentions to become organ donors, only a small percentage follow through with registration. The current study, therefore, investigated how cultural beliefs, religion, and misinformation influenced organ donation on college students.The study adopted a quantitative online survey design and collected primary data through an anonymous online questionnaire that was distributed to undergraduate students at Kean University. The questionnaire included the Likert scale to assess students' exposure to misinformation, perceived religious and cultural influence, and knowledge of the registration process. The data collected were analyzed using statistics and correlation analysis to identify patterns and relationships between the variables. The results revealed a negative correlation between misinformation and knowledge of how to register as an organ donor, suggesting that misinformation can undermine education-oriented awareness programs designed to reduce misinformation and promote accessible registration opportunities. The study concluded that interventions implemented at colleges should address barriers like misinformation, while being mindful of their audiences' religion and cultural beliefs, encouraging college students to put their positive attitudes into action.Keywords: Organ Donation, Cultural Beliefs, Religious Attitudes, Religion, Misinformation, Awareness, willingness