A Study to Assess the Misconceptions Regarding Organ Donation Among Graduate Students at a Selected College, Tirupati

Bavanasi Kokilamma; Vulavala Sreevani; Mynampati Sreelatha; Sudharani

A Study to Assess the Misconceptions Regarding Organ Donation Among Graduate Students at a Selected College, Tirupati

Author(s)	Dr. Bavanasi Kokilamma, Ms. Vulavala Sreevani, Dr. Mynampati Sreelatha, Prof. Dr. Sudharani
Country	India
Abstract	Organ donation is one of the greatest achievements of modern medicine and provides the only effective treatment for many patients with end-stage organ failure. Although remarkable advances in transplantation techniques, immunosuppressive therapy, and organ preservation have improved transplant outcomes, the availability of donor organs remains far below the growing demand. In India, organ donation is regulated under the Transplantation of Human Organs and Tissues Act (THOTA), and national initiatives such as the National Organ and Tissue Transplant Organization (NOTTO) and the Jeevandan Programme in Andhra Pradesh have strengthened organ donation services and public awareness. However, misconceptions regarding brain death, religious beliefs, body disfigurement, legal issues, organ allocation, and commercial misuse continue to discourage individuals from donating organs. These misconceptions contribute to the persistent shortage of donor organs despite increasing awareness programmes. Graduate students, as future professionals and community influencers, have an important role in promoting organ donation awareness. Therefore, the present study was undertaken to assess the misconceptions regarding organ donation among graduate students in a selected college at Tirupati and to determine their association with selected socio- demographic variables. PROBLEM STATEMENT A study to assess the misconceptions regarding organ donation among graduate students at selected colleges in Tirupati. OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY 1. To assess the level of misconceptions regarding organ donation among graduate students in a selected college at Tirupati. 2. To identify the association between the level of misconceptions with their selected socio- demographic variables among graduate students. HYPOTHESIS (H₀) H₀1: There is no significant association between the level of misconceptions regarding organ donation and the socio demographic variables. METHODOLOGY A quantitative research approach with a descriptive cross-sectional research design was adopted for the study. The study was conducted at SV Arts College, Tirupati, among first-year B.Com. (Honours) students. The accessible population consisted of 180 students and a sample of 100 students was selected by using the Simple Random Sampling Technique (Lottery Method). Data was collected by using a self-administered structured rating scale comprising two sections: socio-demographic variables and a 40-item rating scale to assess misconceptions regarding organ donation. The instrument was developed based on an extensive review of literature and guidelines from the National Organ and Tissue Transplant Organization (NOTTO,2010) and the World Health Organization (WHO,1948). Content validity was established through expert validation and the reliability of the tool was confirmed using Cronbach's Alpha method (r = 0.886). A pilot study was conducted among 10 students to assess the feasibility of the study. Ethical approval and informed consent were obtained before data collection. The collected data were analysed using descriptive statistics (frequency, percentage, mean and standard deviation) and inferential statistics (Chi-square test) with the level of significance set at p < 0.05. RESULTS The study findings revealed that the majority of the graduate students (53%) had a moderate level of misconceptions regarding organ donation, followed by 33% with a low level of misconceptions and 14% with a high level of misconceptions. The mean misconception score was 23.00 ± 5.78, indicating that the graduate students had an overall moderate level of misconceptions regarding organ donation. The standard deviation of 5.78 reflects a moderate variation in misconception scores among the participants. The findings suggest that although some students possessed correct knowledge, misconceptions related to organ donation continue to exist among a considerable proportion of graduate students. Chi-square analysis demonstrated a statistically significant association between the level of misconceptions and selected socio-demographic variables, including age, gender, residence, monthly family income, parents' educational status, previous awareness regarding organ donation, attendance at organ donation awareness programmes and organ donor registration status (p < 0.05). Students who had prior awareness of organ donation, had attended awareness programmes or had registered as organ donors exhibited lower levels of misconceptions than their counterparts. However, religion, type of family, source of information, family history of organ donation, family discussion regarding organ donation and opinion regarding the necessity of organ donation in India showed no statistically significant association with the level of misconceptions. CONCLUSION The findings of the present study suggested that misconceptions regarding organ donation were prevalent among graduate students. Therefore, continuous health education and awareness programmes should be conducted in colleges to reduce misconceptions, improve knowledge and promote positive perceptions towards organ donation. Such educational interventions may encourage organ donor registration and increase willingness to donate organs among young adults. RECOMMENDATIONS • A descriptive study can be conducted among a larger sample of graduate students to improve the generalizability of the findings. • A comparative study can be conducted among Arts, Commerce, Science and Health Science students to compare misconceptions regarding organ donation. • A structured teaching programme (STP) can be conducted to assess its effectiveness in reducing misconceptions regarding organ donation. • A cross-sectional study can be conducted in different districts or states to compare misconceptions among various populations. • Information booklets, pamphlets and awareness materials can be developed and distributed among college students to improve awareness regarding organ donation. • Awareness programmes, seminars and workshops can be organized regularly in educational institutions to promote organ donation and reduce misconceptions.
Keywords	Organ Donation, Misconceptions, Graduate Students, Awareness, Socio-Demographic Variables.
Field	Medical / Pharmacy
Published In	Volume 8, Issue 5, September-October 2026
Published On	2026-10-19

View / Download PDF File

About IJFMR Fees & Payment Current Issue Publication Archive	Submit Research Paper Track Submission Status Publication Guidelines Publication Ethics Peer Review & Plagiarism	Join as a Reviewer Editors & Reviewers Reviewer Referral Program Get Reviewer Membership Certi.	Website/Journal Policies Usage Policy Content Policies Privacy Policy

Contact Us		+91-9687-828-838	editor@ijfmr.com

International Journal For Multidisciplinary Research

A Widely Indexed Open Access Peer Reviewed Multidisciplinary Bi-monthly Scholarly International Journal

A Study to Assess the Misconceptions Regarding Organ Donation Among Graduate Students at a Selected College, Tirupati

Share this