Knowledge, Attitudes, and Factors Associated with Organ Donation Willingness among Adults in Lebanon

INTRODUCTION: Organ donation (OD) is a life-saving intervention, but its success depends on public willingness to donate. AIM: This study aimed to assess the knowledge, attitudes, and composite willingness of the Lebanese general public toward OD, and to explore conditions influencing donation decisions. DESIGN: A cross-sectional study was conducted in Lebanon (December 2024-June 2025) using an online questionnaire distributed via snowball sampling. Knowledge, attitudes, and willingness toward OD were assessed using three carefully constructed and validated scales. RESULTS: The study included 830 participants, of whom 503 (60.6%) were females. Nearly all participants (97.6%) had heard of OD, but only 20.2% demonstrated good knowledge; 66.7% had a positive attitude (PA); and 43.9% demonstrated favorable composite willingness toward OD, whereas only 34.9% reported current willingness to register as organ or tissue donors. Higher odds of favorable composite willingness were observed among postgraduates (Adjusted Odds Ratio (aOR)=1.75, 95% confidence interval (CI)=[1.12-2.74]), females (aOR=1.66, 95%CI= [1.21-2.26]), workers in the medical/health field (aOR=2.14, 95%CI=[1.55-2.95]), and those employed in the private sector (aOR=2.02, 95%CI=[1.24-3.28]). Common barriers included family and social pressures, fear of discussing death, lack of knowledge, and religious concerns. CONCLUSIONS: Among this predominantly young, educated, and digitally connected Lebanese population, PAs toward OD were common, whereas knowledge and current willingness to register as an organ donor remained limited. Participants reported greater willingness under several hypothetical facilitating conditions, suggesting that informational, social, and structural factors may influence OD decisions. These findings may help inform future strategies to promote OD in Lebanon.