KNOWLEDGE, ATTITUDE, AND PRACTICE REGARDING BLOOD DONATIONS AMONG PRE-CLINICAL AND CLINICAL UNDERGRADUATE MEDICAL STUDENTS

Abstract

Background: The practice of blood donation has been changing over the past years. It can prove to be a life-saving measure, especially in emergencies. Arranging the required type and quantity of safe blood within the shortest possible time is of extreme importance. The knowledge, attitude, and practice of the medical students as future doctors can be of great value if their reservations can be identified and redressed before they embark upon related health education of common people.

Objectives: To assess knowledge, attitude, and practice regarding voluntary blood donations among the medical undergraduates, with their differences between pre-clinical and clinical students.

Methodology: Setting: Gujranwala Medical College, Gujranwala, and Shalamar Medical & Dental College, Lahore. Duration: August-December 2024. Study population: Pre-clinical and clinical undergraduate MBBS students. Design: Descriptive, cross-sectional study. Sampling technique: Convenient. Sample size: 283. Inclusion criteria: All those MBBS students who voluntarily agreed to participate in the study after giving their online informed consent by filing the emailed consent forms. The Institutional Review Board approved this limited academic study. Data collection: Google Forms were used to collect data online. Data analysis: SPSS version 21 was used for this purpose. Results: Out of the total 283 participants, 92% of participants knew their blood groups. 34.6% had never donated blood. Among those who had voluntarily donated blood, 76.5% had done so in hospitals. 56.1% had donated blood to a friend or family member. The main reasons for not having to donate blood were lack of opportunity (47%) and fear of needles (27%).

Conclusion: Further studies are needed regarding voluntary blood donations by the medical undergraduate students