Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices toward Blood Donation among University Students in Rawalpindi

Abstract

Blood donation is a need of public health; however, voluntary participation in blood donation is limited in many developing countries, even in Pakistan, where most donors are replacement donors. This study discusses the knowledge, attitude and practice of blood donation among university students of Rawalpindi and develops the factors affecting the willingness to donate. A quantitative survey was carried out among 130 students of PMAS Arid Agriculture University with the help of a structured questionnaire and the reliability analysis was verified using Cronbach's Alpha. (0.82). Results showed that 77.7% never donated blood and 22.3% donated blood at least once. Although students showed generally positive attitudes and awareness, misconceptions about eligibility, health risks and frequency of donation remained. Fear of weakness, infection and lack of motivation were major barriers. Strengthened awareness programmes and student-oriented interventions are suggested to facilitate voluntary blood donation.