Willingness and Its Associated Factors for Blood Donation in Gondar Town, Northwest Ethiopia: A Community-Based Cross-Sectional Study

Abstract

Background: Although the World Health Organization recommends 100% willingness for blood donation, the percentage of blood collected from willing blood donors and the average annual blood collection rate is extremely low in Ethiopia. Adults can serve as an essential pool formeeting the demand of safe blood. Thus, this study is aimed at examining willingness and its associated factors for blood donation among the adult population in Gondar town, Northwest Ethiopia. Methods: A community-based cross-sectional study was conducted on548 respondents from 1–30 October2021. Multistage sampling techniques were used to select the study participants. The data were collected using an interviewer-administered structured questionnaire. Epi-data version 4.6 and SPSS version 23 software was used for data entry and analysis, respectively. A binary logistic regression (bivariable and multivariable) was performed to identify the statistically significant variables. Results: Less than half, 45.3% (95% CI: 41.4, 49.9), of the study participants hadthe willingness to donate blood. Participants who were renters of their own houses [AOR: 3.19; (95% CI: 2.09, 4.62)], had a history of blood donation practice [AOR: 1.90(95% CI: 1.16, 3.19)], had witnessed blood being donated [AOR: 2.56 (95% CI:1.65, 6.95)], had a history of relatives who have died through blood loss [AOR: 2.28 (95% CI:1.19, 4.36)], and had good knowledge [AOR: 2.23; (95% CI: 1.49, 3.34)] were more willing to donate blood, with these factors being the significant predictors. Conclusions: Generally, willingness towards blood donation is low in the study area. In order to increase community willingness to donate blood, healthcare providers, national blood banks, and transfusion agencies should design strategies to promote and motivate their communities. In addition to this, participants should receive information on the health benefits of donating blood, the volume of blood donated, and the number of patients benefiting from a single unit of blood donated.