Health education in the service of organ transplantation

Abstract There are around 10.000 people in Poland who have undergone an organ transplantation at some point in their lives. This procedure allowed those people to enjoy regained health and successfully return to normal life, with the previously assigned roles at work, in their family and in society. Despite the advances in transplantation, a half of the people waiting for this form of treatment would die, since there are no organs to be transplanted. This state of affairs is caused by the low awareness among the Polish society. Polish people have very low confidence in this treatment method. They lack a basic understanding of the essential medical and legal procedures defining the organization of organ transplantation. Health educators should address concerns that emerge in society and to present a positive image of transplantation, as a science saving people’s lives. Educating young people about organ transplantation, since their earliest days at school, provides a chance to shape a positive attitude towards the issues of organ transplantation. This article attempts to answer the following questions: what is health education, organ transplantation, and what are the goals of the health education programs promoting organ transplantation?