Body donation is integral to anatomy education, but procurement can be ethically fraught. While voluntary donation is preferred, the use of unclaimed bodies, although considered unethical, is a primary means for body procurement in some countries. This mixed methods study examined historical trends and anatomy technical staff perspectives on body donation in two Zimbabwean medical schools. In Phase 1, 194 cadaver paper records from January 1984 to January 2021 were reviewed. Unclaimed bodies accounted for 67% while 33% (all white Zimbabweans) were voluntarily donated. Most cadavers were black Africans (62.4%) followed by white Zimbabweans (34.0%). Race was not indicated in seven (3.6%) records. In Phase 2, semi-structured interviews were conducted with seven technicians responsible for sourcing cadavers at the two institutions. Data were thematically analysed resulting in the development of eight themes, arranged into three domains. Cadaver procurement themes related to (1) cadaver source, (2) adherence to procurement guidelines, (3) screening for suitability, and (4) cultural and religious beliefs. Cadaver embalmment focused on (5) embalming practices, and (6) hospital mortuary-based embalming. Finally, (7) disposal processes and (8) resource constraints were found to influence cadaver disposal practices. Contrary to best practice, there is continued reliance on the use of unclaimed bodies to support anatomy education in the two Zimbabwean medical schools. Improving the ethical sourcing of bodies requires increased efforts to educate all Zimbabweans, especially the black majority, about the role and importance of voluntary body donation in medical education. Additionally, well-structured, and well-resourced body donation programs could enhance ethical procurement.

中文翻译：

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津巴布韦两所医学院解剖遗体捐献的历史趋势和现状经验

遗体捐赠是解剖学教育不可或缺的一部分，但遗体捐赠可能存在道德问题。虽然自愿捐赠是首选，但使用无人认领的尸体虽然被认为是不道德的，但却是一些国家采购尸体的主要手段。这项混合方法研究考察了津巴布韦两所医学院的历史趋势和解剖技术人员对遗体捐赠的看法。第一阶段审查了 1984 年 1 月至 2021 年 1 月的 194 份尸体纸质记录。无人认领的尸体占 67%，而 33%（均为津巴布韦白人）是自愿捐赠的。大多数尸体是非洲黑人（62.4%），其次是津巴布韦白人（34.0%）。七项 (3.6%) 记录中未注明种族。在第二阶段，对两家机构负责尸体采购的七名技术人员进行了半结构化访谈。对数据进行了主题分析，形成了八个主题，分为三个领域。尸体采购主题涉及 (1) 尸体来源、(2) 遵守采购指南、(3) 筛选适宜性，以及 (4) 文化和宗教信仰。尸体防腐侧重于 (5) 防腐实践，以及 (6) 医院太平间防腐。最后，发现（7）处置过程和（8）资源限制会影响尸体处置实践。与最佳实践相反，津巴布韦两所医学院继续依赖使用无人认领的尸体来支持解剖学教育。改善尸体来源的道德要求需要加大力度教育所有津巴布韦人，特别是占多数的黑人，让他们了解自愿遗体捐赠在医学教育中的作用和重要性。此外，结构良好、资源充足的遗体捐赠计划可以增强道德采购。