Religious belief and donation of organs and tissues: integrative review of literature

• Main Authors: Sílvia Ferazzo, Mara Ambrosina de Oliveira Vargas, Joel Rolim Mancia, Flávia Regina Souza Ramos
• Format: Article
• Language: Portuguese
• Published: Universidade Federal de Santa Maria 2011-10-01
• Series: Revista de Enfermagem da Universidade Federal de Santa Maria
• Subjects: doação dirigida de tecido; ética; transplante de órgãos; religião
• Online Access: https://periodicos.ufsm.br/reufsm/article/view/2790
• ISSN: 2179-7692; 2179-7692

This study aims to analyzing whether religion interfere in the decision for donors and/or their family to consent to both organ donation and the process of organ collection and transplantation. This integrating literature review has been carried out through searches in SciELO, MEDLINE and LILACS databases, from 1995 to 2010, using the following words: organ donation, organ transplantation, ethics, religion, and religious belief. Nineteen papers have been selected. We have concluded that spiritual beliefs have influence on decision-making. No religion has been completely contrary to donation, but the belief of death being related to heart failure, and the rituals associated with the dead body hinder the possibilities of adhering to donation and, ultimately, to transplantation