The Knowledge, Attitude and Practice Towards Blood Donation Among Voluntary Blood Donors in Chennai, India

Abstract

Introduction: An integrated strategy for blood safety is required for the provision of safe and adequate blood. Recruiting a sufficient number of safe blood donors is an emerging challenge. The shortage of blood in India is due to an increase in the demand, with fewer voluntary blood donors. A study on the knowledge, attitude and the practice of donors may prove to be useful in the successful implementation of the blood donation programme. Our aim was to find the level of the knowledge, attitude and practice of blood donation among voluntary blood donors. Material and Methods:A structured questionnaire was given to 530 voluntary blood donors to assess their knowledge, attitude and practice with respect to blood donations. The statistical analyses were done by using the SPSS software. The associations between the demographic factors were analysed by using the Chi square test.Results: Among the 530 donors, 436 (93%) were males and 36 (7%) were female donors. 273 (51.2%) donors knew about the interval of the donation and 421 (79.4%) donors knew about the age limit for the donation. 305 (57%) donors felt that creating an opportunity for the donation was an important factor for motivating the blood donation and 292 (55%) donors felt that the fear of pain was the main reason for the hesitation of the donors in coming forward to donate blood. Conclusion:A majority of the donors were willing to be regular donors. The donors showed positive effects like a sense of satisfaction after the donation. Creating an opportunity for blood donation by conducting many blood donation camps may increase the voluntary blood donations.

Knowledge, attitude and practice towards blood donation and associated factors among adults in Debre Markos town, Northwest Ethiopia

“…The majority of them reported voluntary blood donation as the best source of blood donation. This is consistent with finding from Chennai [16], however it is higher than studies conducted among health workers (72.2 %), and physicians in Benin (80.7 %) [15–17]. Less than half (47 %) of adults knew the risk of transmission of disease through blood transfusion which is lower than that of the study conducted in Benin (95.7 %) [15] and, higher than that of the study conducted in India [18].…”

“…The difference in socio-economic status with residents of Mekelle and in educational status with the health science students might explain the discrepancy with the above findings. About 53.8 % of participants knew that people can donate every 3 months, this is higher than other studies conducted in Benin, (21.5 %), Chennai (51.2 %) and Mekelle (43.6 %) [11, 15, 16]. The majority of them reported voluntary blood donation as the best source of blood donation.…”

Public awareness of blood donation in Central Saudi Arabia

“…The highest motivational factor reported by the subjects in the current study was that donation gives a sensation of altruism, where almost all participants (96%) agreed that donation is altruistic, agreeing with the Iranian population 13. Other studies reported personal or family benefits, financial rewards, and creating opportunities for donation as motivating factors to their donor populations 3,26. The majority of participants in the current study think that their donation would encourage others to donate.…”

“…Participants also had poor knowledge about the age limitation on blood donation and women’s ability to donate with regard to menstruation. However, a study conducted in India showed that the majority of subjects knew about the minimum age to donate blood 26. In a study conducted in Saudi Arabia on 500 adult males, only 6% of men were aware of the suitable age for blood donation while 28% knew about the minimum necessary weight 16…”

<p>Voluntary Blood Donation Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices in Central Ethiopia</p>

“…Common reasons reported for not donating blood includes no one asked for, not accessible, fear of pain, fear of anemia, fear of weight loss and the fear sight of blood, which is consistent with the study conducted in Eastern Ethiopia, India and Saudi. 8,13,16,33 This indicated most reasons peoples fail to donate blood are just misconceptions that could be cleared with appropriate health information and campaign in approaching those potential blood donors. Had blood donation service been more accessible, and appropriate methods used to approach potential donors, the rate of blood donation would have been improved.…”