A Study to Assess the Knowledge and Attitude regarding Voluntary Blood Donation among College Going Male Students, a Quasi-experimental Study

Abstract

Introduction: Voluntary blood donation in developing countries like India is constrained by misconception, fear, and widespread myths regarding blood donation.(1) Donated blood is an essential component in the management of many diseases. It is the main lifesaving for an individual with loss of large volumes of blood from accidents, hemorrhages or surgery.(2) Blood and its product demands is increasing, which can be ensured by increasing awareness and interest in blood donation in different groups of people. Youth is one of those groups. Misconception and low levels of awareness lead to unsatisfactory voluntary blood donation practices among them. The aim is to assess the knowledge and attitude of college students towards voluntary blood. Material and Methods: After prior permission from the College Authority, all the students who were present on the day of the study and who acknowledged their consent for participation were enrolled in the study. A pre-tested, semi-open-ended questionnaire was used as a study tool first as a pre-test to check their prior knowledge and attitude, followed by a health talk. Then, the same questionnaire was used to check their improvement of knowledge about blood donation. Results: As per the Wilcoxon rank test there is a significant improvement in the knowledge of study participants after health talk; out of a total 105 male students, 102 show positive rank (W+). Conclusion: Health education regarding voluntary blood donation is effective in improving the knowledge and attitude of youth. This will further improve the situation of voluntary blood donation by youth.