Voluntary Blood Donation among Students - A Cross-Sectional Study on Knowledge and Practice vs. Attitude.

INTRODUCTION: The factors influencing blood donation decisions are varied and complex and one's attitude can influence this decision.

AIM: To find the factors affecting the knowledge and practice of blood donation among college students and their attitude towards the same.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: This cross-sectional study was conducted among 399 college going students using convenience sampling from medical, nursing and engineering colleges in Bhubaneswar city, where blood donation camps were to be held. Data was collected through self-administered questionnaires and, analysed in SPSS Version 20.0.

RESULTS: Knowledge regarding blood donation was adequate among 228 (57.1%) of the students and, 221 (55.4%) students had donated blood. Knowledge was significantly better among female students, medical stream and in those whose parents were in non-medical jobs; whereas blood donation had been done significantly more by male, non-medical stream students and by those whose parents were in medical field. Most common reason for donating blood was a sense of social responsibility and most common reason of non-donation was fear of the procedure. An 85% of the students were of the view that they would donate blood if asked. Students suggested that small incentives like certificates and arranging transport for blood donation would make it easier to donate.

CONCLUSION: Just over half of the students had adequate knowledge about blood donation and similar percentage had donated blood. There is this large pool of safe blood in college going students who are willing, but not tapped as source of blood donation.