Abstract

Background: 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 and limited number of replacement 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.

Objectives: The aim was to find the level of the knowledge, attitude, and practice of blood donation among voluntary and replacement blood donors.

Materials and Methods: A hospital-based cross-sectional design was conducted among 800 blood donors to assess their knowledge, attitude, and practice with respect to blood donations. The statistical analyses were performed using the SPSS software. The associations between the demographic factors were analyzed using the Chi-square test.

Results: Mean age of replacement group was 28 ± 7.392%. Majority (82.4%) knew about their blood group, in replacement group 82.4% and in the voluntary group 92.2%. Majority (95.3%) of study subjects in replacement group had a good attitude toward blood donation, and 86.8% of study subjects in replacement group said precautions should be taken during blood donation.

Conclusion: A majority of the donors were willing to be regular donors. The donors showed positive effects such as 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.

Key words: Voluntary; Replacement; Blood Donors; Knowledge; Safe Blood Transfusion