Awareness and attitudes towards face and organ transplant in Kumasi, Ghana

Objectives: This study aimed to determine the level of awareness and attitudes towards face and organ transplant among the people of Kumasi, Ghana.Design: An observational study was employed, where participants were randomly selected for the study.Participants: The respondents were commuters waiting to board public vehicles at the Kejetia lorry station, Bantama/Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital taxi station, Buokrom Estate F-line lorry station, traders, and residents of Adum and Bantama, all in Kumasi.Methods: The descriptive study was conducted from 1st February to 30th April 2009. An interview-based questionnaire was used for the convenient sample of respondents. Data obtained included: demographic profile and items covering awareness, attitudes and beliefs towards face and organ transplant.Results: Out of the 1020 respondents, females (53.2%) outnumbered males. The age of respondents ranged from 10 to 89 years; mean was 27.50± 2.98 years; majority (72.3%) was Christians, whilst 61.8% hadgone through tertiary education. Few (33.5%) of the respondents were aware of face transplant; 70.0% and 62.1% were willing to receive a face if their face was disfigured or donate their face when dead respectively. Also, 50.6% were aware of organ transplant, whiles 59.1% would receive/donate an organ when required. Multiple regression analysis shows statisticalsignificant association between attitudes, awareness and demographic variables listed.Conclusion: Face and organ transplant were found to have a relatively low and high awareness level respectively. However, an affirmative attitude wasrecorded for face and organ transplant. More education on face and organ donations is needed.Keywords: Face; Organ; Transplant; Awareness; Attitudes