Role of religious beliefs in blood donation behavior among the youngster in Iran

Abstract

Purpose The main purpose of this research is investigating the role of religion in sculpting blood donation behavior in younger adults by using the theory of planned behavior (TPB). Design/methodology/approach A structured questionnaire was developed to collect data, and in total, 242 questionnaires of undergraduate students from four large universities in Iran were analyzed. The suggested research model was tested by structural equation modeling. Findings The findings indicate that religious beliefs have a positive influence on the attitude toward blood donation. Therefore, it seems that the influence of religion on prosocial activities such as blood donation is considerable. Moreover, attitudes, perceived behavioral control and subjective norms have a positive influence on the intention to blood donation. The research findings are consistent with the TPB model. Originality/value Previous research on blood donation has not considered religious beliefs in the TPB. The contribution of this study is examining the relationships between attitude and behavior with respect to religious beliefs as a silent shaping agent of attitude.