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ORIGINAL RESEARCH article

Front. Public Health
Sec. Public Health Policy
Volume 13 - 2025 | doi: 10.3389/fpubh.2025.1516865

The Dynamics of Organ Donation in Palestine: Legal, Religious, and Socioeconomic Perspectives in a Complex Political and Economic Landscape

Provisionally accepted
Muayad Kamal Hattab Muayad Kamal Hattab 1*Belal M Rahhal Belal M Rahhal 2Fayez Mahamid Fayez Mahamid 3Noor Omar Adas Noor Omar Adas 1Rana Dawas Rana Dawas 1Nidal Jaradat Nidal Jaradat 4Hamzeh Al Zabadi Hamzeh Al Zabadi 4Iyad Ali Iyad Ali 2Jamal Kielani Jamal Kielani 5Ali Musleh Ali Musleh 1Ghassan Khaled Ghassan Khaled 1
  • 1 Faculty of Law and Political Science, Department of Law, An-Najah National University,, Nablus, Palestine
  • 2 Department of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, An-Najah National University, Nablus, Palestine
  • 3 Faculty Of Business and Communication, Department of Psychology, An-Najah National University,, Nablus, Palestine
  • 4 Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, An-Najah National University, Nablus, Palestine
  • 5 Faculty of Sharia, An-Najah National University, Nablus, Palestine

The final, formatted version of the article will be published soon.

    Background: Organ donation in Palestine is influenced by a unique blend of legal, religious, and socioeconomic factors compounded by the region's political and economic instability. Despite the increasing need for organ transplantation, public hesitation and misconceptions hinder participation. This study aimed to explore these dynamics, identify barriers, and provide insights into improving organ donation practices in Palestine. Methods: A quantitative survey was conducted among 639 Palestinian adults residing on the West Bank. The survey assessed participants' attitudes, awareness, and perceptions of organ donation across three domains: religious/psychological, medical, and legal. The data were analyzed using chi-square tests and three-way ANOVA to explore differences in attitudes based on demographic factors such as sex, academic level, and place of residence.The study revealed significant variability in public attitudes toward organ donation, with 43.4% willing to donate organs after death but 30% still opposed. Religious and psychological awareness significantly influenced participants' attitudes, with 40.35% agreeing that organ donation aligns with their beliefs. Medical awareness was higher, with 48.8% feeling informed about the process. Legal awareness was moderate, with 44.85% understanding of the legal framework. The analysis showed no significant demographic differences in attitudes toward organ donation. Conclusions: Public awareness, religious beliefs, and socioeconomic conditions play crucial roles in shaping organ donation attitudes in Palestine. This study highlights the need for targeted educational campaigns that integrate religious perspectives and raise awareness about the legal and medical aspects of organ donation. Strengthening legal frameworks and healthcare infrastructure will be key to improving organ donation rates and ensuring ethical practices in the region.

    Keywords: organ donation, religious beliefs, Socioeconomic Factors, public awareness, Palestinian Healthcare, Public attitude, Palestinian Legal Framework

    Received: 25 Oct 2024; Accepted: 07 Jan 2025.

    Copyright: © 2025 Hattab, Rahhal, Mahamid, Adas, Dawas, Jaradat, Al Zabadi, Ali, Kielani, Musleh and Khaled. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.

    * Correspondence: Muayad Kamal Hattab, Faculty of Law and Political Science, Department of Law, An-Najah National University,, Nablus, Palestine

    Disclaimer: All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.