Knowledge and attitudes toward corneal donation among health sciences undergraduate students

Aims: assess the knowledge and attitudes toward corneal donation among health sciences undergraduate students. Methods: this is an observationat, descriptive, cross-sectionat study, that inctuded students enrolled in the undergraduate courses in Speech Therapy, Nutrition and Metabolism, PhysicatTherapy and OccupationaLTherapy, offered by the University of Sao Paulo at Ribeirao Preto Medicat School (FMRP), University of Sao Paulo (USP), Ribeirao Preto campus. The students responded to a structured instrument in the classroom. A questionnaire containing 16 items regarding knowledge about corneal transpLantation and questions about attitudes towards donation was applied. The questionnaire was based on instruments used in simitar studies. Results: 335 students (83.1% female) participated in the research. Only 6.6% reported knowing how to proceed to be a corneal donor, and 55.5% reported knowing that corneal removal can only be performed after the donor's death. Among the 16 items of the knowledge questionnaire, the students had a mean of only 5.6 correct answers, with a standard deviation of 3.1. Conclusions: the knowledge of the interviewed students about corneal donation is quite unsatisfactory. Given the known shortage of corneas for transpLantation, educationat actions are needed to make these future professionats able to spread the practice of corneal donation among their future patients and their famities.