Information on Organ Transplantation in Public and Private Schools in the Countryside of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil

Abstract

Introduction:  the objective of this study was to evaluate access to information and the level of knowledge regarding organ transplantation among high school students from public and private schools in the countryside of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. Materials and methods:  This quantitative, descriptive, cross-sectional study was conducted using a structured, in-person questionnaire administered to high school students from one private school (n=19) and one public school (n=2). Results:  Although most students reported previous exposure to the topic, primarily through social media, gaps in specific knowledge about organ transplantation were identified. Among students from the private school, 47.3% reported knowing what organ transplantation is, 21% correctly identified transplantable organs, and 73.6% recognized the concept of brain death. Due to the small number of participants from the public school, these findings were presented descriptively and explored without allowing comparisons between the two schools. Discussion and conclusion:  The findings suggest that access to information through digital media alone does not ensure adequate knowledge about organ donation and transplantation. Despite the limitations related to the small sample size, particularly in the public school, the results highlight the importance of developing educational initiatives and conducting further studies with larger samples to improve young people's knowledge of this topic.