Knowledge about blood donation of attendants (donors and non-donors) to the National Blood Transfusion Center in Baghdad

Abstract

This is a cross-sectional study conducted in the National Blood Transfusion Center during the period from the 1st of November 2005 through November 2006. The of the study was to assess the Knowledge of a sample of donors and non-donors attending the National Blood Transfusion Center in Baghdad regarding the information about blood donation. A total of 500 individuals were interviewed, 292 were donors and 208 were non-donors. Data were collected using specially designed questionnaire. The questionnaire consisted of thirty questions assessing the knowledge regarding blood donation. Regarding the total scores of the answers; only 7 (2.4%) of donors but none of non-donors, had got good scores (>75%). Most of donors and non-donors got medium scores (56.8%) and (53.4%) respectively. While 119 (40.8%) of donors and 97 (46.6%) of the non-donors got poor scores (<50%). This study suggested that there is great deficiency in the basic knowledge of the Iraqi population regarding blood donation among doth donors and non-donors. The act of donating blood was associated with replacement rather than with the voluntary donation. Based on this study, an effective strategy can be made regarding motivated recruitment of voluntary non-remunerated blood donors in future.