Knowledge, Awareness, and Attitudes toward Umbilical Cord Blood Biobanking

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Umbilical Cord Blood (UCB) stem cells are a non-invasive, effective alternative source of hematopoietic stem cells for the treatment of a variety of diseases. AIM: The aim of the study was to research knowledge, awareness, and attitudes of the general public and health professionals regarding the UCB storage. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted with an online survey (n = 408) using the snowball method. RESULTS: A majority of respondents declared that they were not aware of UCB banking; however, people with an academic background in healthcare have a greater awareness of UCB banking. A subjective assessment found that their knowledge of UCB banking is better than that of non-professionals, however, they exhibited better knowledge and understanding of UCB use and banking in only a few aspects. People with an academic background in healthcare have a more polarized attitude toward cord blood banking and a higher percentage are unwilling to pay for UCB banking services. However, their preferences regarding public/private UCB banking do not differ significantly from those of non-professionals. CONCLUSION: Here, we show that there is not much difference between the laic and professional categories in terms of knowledge about the specific purpose and characteristics of UCB storage.

Exploring Parental Knowledge, Attitudes, and Factors Influencing Decision-Making in Stem Cell Banking: Rising the Future of Medical Treatment

“…This accords with other studies showing that a majority of respondents acquired their information from medical experts [ 12 , 15 ]. By contrast, this result does not agree with a study showing that only 15% of respondents obtained their knowledge from health experts, with the majority receiving it from social media [ 29 ]. The other results are as follows: 25.45% (n=98) received no information or education, 23.64% (n=91) obtained it from the internet or social media, 12.73% (n=49) from family or friends, and only 10.91% (n=42) from educational institutions.…”

Inconsistencies in Pregnant Mothers’ Attitudes and Willingness to Donate Umbilical Cord Stem Cells: A Cross-Sectional Analysis from Saudi Arabia

“…Some prior studies from Middle Eastern countries recommended creating awareness, educating, and counseling women about stem cell donation and cord blood donation [26,27]. A study from Slovenia also reported that people from the general population were not aware of UCB banking [28]. A study of pregnant women from Italy tested the theory of planned behavior to identify the social and psychological elements of women's decision to donate cord blood.…”