Students Attitudes Toward Body Image Donation for 3D Printing

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AbouHashem, Y., Dayal, M., Serafin, S., A trkalj, G. (2017). Clinical Anatomy. Nov, Vol. 30 Issue 8, p1005, 2 p.

Find article online:

http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/ca.2298/abstract

doi: 10.1002/ca.22978

Contents

[edit] Context

This article is a letter to the editor of the Clinical Anatomy, the Official Journal of the American Association of Clinical Anatomists and the British Association of Clinical Anatomists. This is a research article that fits within the areas of 3D printing, body image, anatomy education, and medicine. Updating and new imaging technologies are very important in anatomy education. Expensive to obtain and maintain bodies for the study of anatomy, 3D printing them has become a valuable substitute (AbouHashem et al., 2017: p. 1005).

The article reports the results of a survey of first year anatomy students about donating their bodies for 3D printing and whole-body donation for anatomy education.

[edit] Overview

This study examines the “attitudes of first year anatomy students toward image donation and contrasts them with their attitudes toward whole body donation for anatomy education” (p. 1005). “A class of 483 first-year anatomy students were surveyed. Of these, 75.6% responded” (p. 1005).

They were questioned about body donation or image donation of their own body, a family member, or a stranger with a choice of three possibilities, Yes, Undecided, and No. “Overall, the respondents favored donation of medical images of the bodies rather than whole body donation (Table 1)” (p. 1006).

The survey revealed the differences of the attitudes of the students towards advising family and strangers regarding donations. The students were more inclined to advise strangers to donate (pg. 1005).

Further developments in the application of new imaging technologies in anatomy education are dependent on the willingness of individuals of different ages, sex, and ancestry to donate the images of their bodies. This study suggests that finding image donors might be considerably easier than finding whole body donors, possibly due to the potential donor’s cultural constraints, religious beliefs, or fear that bodies will not be respected in the anatomy laboratories.

[edit] Strengths and Weaknesses

One strength of the study was by surveying medical students; they could find out quickly their attitudes toward 3D printing body images and also whole-body donation. They could also find out the difference in attitude of students advising strangers or family to donate. The data collection was a simple survey of questions regarding image donation and body donation for themselves, family, or strangers and a choice from three answers, Yes, Undecided or No.

The researchers set out to show the preferences of the students and have succeeded at it.

It might be considered a weakness to survey a closed population. This survey is of first year anatomy students in Australia. The researchers suggest further studies are needed such as from the general public. The researchers mention a donation program but do not mention information of how or where to donate or if there is a hotline to call about donating. In Ontario, Canada we have an option to donate attached to our Health Card.

[edit] Assessment

This article goes over all of the main points that have to do with the first-year anatomy student survey and then show the data in a table. From the data the researchers saw and were concerned that the students preferred to advise strangers for whole body donation than to advise their family or donate their own body.

This article is a good template for a research. Another research could easily follow AbouHashem et al.’s method in this research and add to the body of knowledge. New researches should include donor program locations or a donor program hotline that would give a caller advice on where they could donate.

This article suggests a survey of the general public. It would be interesting to find how likely the public is to sign up for whole body donation. Here in Ontario, Canada we can attach donor acceptance to our Health Cards. A comparison survey could be done of Australia and Canada.

As new technologies become available in imaging and 3D printing, they will be very useful to anatomy and medical education. 3D printer costs have been decreasing and education costs have risen. It would be very helpful for the schools to have the materials from the images and 3D prints available for the students' use in their studies.




--Jr97ah 23:51, 14 March 2019 (EDT)

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