Introduction:

The cadaver is an irreplaceable piece in the learning of human anatomy, allowing a three-dimensional view of anatomical structures. However, there is a scenario of scarcity and increased demand for cadaveric parts in Brazilian universities. Therefore, several institutions, supported by article 14 of Law 10.406/2002 of the Brazilian Civil Code, implemented body donation programs aimed at bringing significant improvements in the teaching quality of the anatomy discipline.

Objective:

To analyze the level of knowledge and perspectives of a university community regarding the voluntary donation of cadaveric bodies for educational and research purposes.

Method:

This is an observational, cross-sectional and prospective study with a quantitative approach and data collection through an individual questionnaire. The subjects included in the study were teachers and students from the Federal University of Maranhão, Campus Dom Delgado - UFMA. The questionnaires were related to obtaining information about knowledge and opinions on the topic of body donation.

Result:

A total of 264 answered questionnaires were obtained, which showed that 85.65% of students and 87.1% of teachers were aware of the possibility of donating their own bodies. However, it was observed that 94% of the interviewees did not know what procedures were necessary for the donation, and 86% did not have knowledge about the legislation that allowed this practice. Furthermore, 27.65% of the participants were able to donate their own body, 33.7% indicated that they would not donate and 38.9% reported that they had no formed opinion. The main reason given for donating was: “to contribute to the advancement of education in the health area”, and for not donating: “I want to be buried or cremated”.

Conclusion:

There is a high percentage of individuals who do not know how to carry out the donation of their own bodies, being evidenced that the participants have low aptitude for donation. However, there is a significant percentage of individuals who do not have a formed opinion on the subject, demonstrating that the dissemination of this topic is a means to increase adherence to this practice. It is important to carry out the development of body donation programs to solve the problem.

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