Blood donation among university students: Practices, motivations, and barriers in Saudi Arabia

Abstract

Context: Blood transfusion is an essential medical procedure conducted with various purposes to provide patients with blood needed. The procedure saves patients’ lives, as blood cannot be manufactured artificially and can only be obtained from human blood sources. Aims: To assess the awareness of, perceptions of, motivations regarding, and barriers to blood donation among a sample of Jazan University students in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA). Settings and Design: An observational cross-sectional study was conducted among the undergraduate students of Jazan University. Materials and Methods: Stratified random sampling was used to collect information from 440 students, and a predesigned, structured questionnaire was used to collect data on the study variables. Statistical Analysis: Involved descriptive statistics and inferential statistics. SPSS was used for data analysis. Results: The prevalence of blood donation was 29.0% (95% CI, 25.0–33.3), significantly higher for males at 44.3% (95% CI, 38.3–50.4) than for females at 10.5% (95% CI, 7.3–16.0; P < 0.001), and with odds ratio (OR) = 6.8; [95% CI, 4.1–11.2] than females. Students’ level of knowledge regarding blood donation was low. The main barriers to blood donation were identified as being unqualified for blood donation (57.5%) and risk of contracting infectious disease (48.7%) and the desire to donate in the future to a close friend (38.6%). The main motivations for donating blood were identified as religious reasons (77.5%), altruism (77.5%), and to serve the homeland and meet the call of need (77.5%). Conclusions: The prevalence of blood donation was found to be low, and students’ knowledge regarding blood donation appeared to be lacking. The development of awareness programs among the university’s students will address students’ misconceptions about blood donation and encourage them to join donation campaigns.

Blood donation practice and its predictors among undergraduate college students in Harari Regional State, Eastern Ethiopia

“… 35 This might be due to the difference in the implementation of blood donation campaigns and different barriers to blood donation including being unqualified for blood donation and fear of contracting diseases. 36 …”

Assessment of Blood Donation Practice and Its Associated Factors Among Wollega University Undergraduate Students, Ethiopia

“…The data collection tool was pretested on 5% (19) of the sample size on students in Gimbi campus which was out of the study setting. Besides, two-day training was given to data collectors and supervisors.…”

“…The previously conducted studies in different parts showed that the magnitude of blood donation practice range from 10% to 35.69% in Asia 14–16 and 10.64% to 61.69% in Africa 11 , 17 , 18 which was relatively incomparable with high-income countries. It was found to be 29% in Saudi Arabia, 19 26.7% in India, 20 27.1% in Ghana, 21 15.3% in Nigeria 22 and 22.6%–47.8%, 5 23–28 in different regions of Ethiopia. On top of this, various factors are identified as the factors that hinder blood donation practice.…”

“… 29 Furthermore, age, gender, religion, knowledge, attitude, educational status, self-perceived health status, and family education are also factors that can affect the blood donation practice. 5 , 19 , 21 , 23 , 24 , 26 , 28…”

“…29 Furthermore, age, gender, religion, knowledge, attitude, educational status, selfperceived health status, and family education are also factors that can affect the blood donation practice. 5,19,21,23,24,26,28 Insufficient blood donation and shortage of blood contribute to preventable deaths, which result from major surgery, trauma, cancer, anemia, and pregnancy-related complications. 30,31 In developing countries, about half a million mothers die each year during pregnancy and childbirth with hemorrhage.…”