Beliefs, Cultural, and Religious Aspects of Organ Donation: A Focus Group Study among College Students in South India

Background: Although thousands of lifesaving organ transplants are performed every year, there remains an unmet need for organ donation (OD) worldwide. Many factors such as values, beliefs, culture, and religion inhibit the donation of organs. This study elicited the beliefs, cultural, and religious aspects of OD among college students. Materials and Methods: Eleven focus groups were conducted in 7 colleges, where 79 students aged 21–23 years pursuing the final year of Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Science, Bachelor of Commerce, Bachelor of Computer Application, and Bachelor of Business Administration were interviewed. Students’ responses related to the opinions, ideas, and perceptions regarding beliefs, cultural, and religious aspects of OD were recorded and transcribed. The data were analyzed using thematic analysis. Results: Ten themes (with subthemes) emerged from the focus groups: a noble act to be encouraged, strong family opposition, psychological dimensions, myths, ethical dilemmas, knowledge deficits, strong religious conviction, reciprocal benefit, cultural facet, and moral considerations. Conclusion: Students and youth could be change agents in OD. Although OD is considered a generous, lifesaving gift, making positive decisions about OD is an individual choice. Our findings suggest that the beliefs and cultural and religious values affect the donation consent system and must be addressed.