THE PERCEPTION AND WILLINGNESS TOWARDS BLOOD DONATION AMONG FEMALE NURSES AT THE UNIVERSITY COLLEGE HOSPITAL, IBADAN

Abstract

Voluntary Non-Remunerated Blood Donation is rather poor in Nigeria. To expand the donor base, there is need to recruit and retain more repeat donors, irrespective of sex, who will voluntarily donate blood to sustain the demand for adequate safe blood supply. The percentage of women that actually present themselves for voluntary blood donation and who eventually are eligible to donate blood has been found to be very small. Also, little is known about the reasons why women donate and the barriers hindering blood donation. This study therefore, seeks to identify reasons motivating or hindering donation practices and the factors that influence the willingness of female nurses (in UCH) to donate blood. The study is a cross-sectional study conducted among 272 female nurses currently working at the University College Hospital, Ibadan. Data on the socio-demographic characteristics, knowledge about blood donation practices, attitude towards blood donation and blood banks and blood donation practices was collected using a self-administered questionnaire, from each respondent. Chi-square and logistic regression tests were used to determine the associations between sociodemographic variables and 'ever donated', willingness and attitude towards donation and blood banks. The level of significance for all analysis was set at p value = 0.05 but 0.1 was used to select variables to be included in logistic regression analysis. Out of 272 respondents, not all respondents filled the questionnaires completely. The mean age of the respondents was 38±9, The highest percentage of nurses was at the NOI cadre, (34.6%). About 83.1% respondents were willing to donate blood but only 15.8% actually have ever donated blood. A high percentage had poor knowledge and negative attitude towards blood donation, 80.9% and 75.7% respectively, Among non-donors, reasons for not donating were that they were not asked (29.8%)and being too busy to donate (21.1%). Some also had the fear of needles (7.5%). Donors were motivated to donate to save lives (69.8%) but, hindrances mentioned by some for having stopped donating for the past 12 months were being too busy (41.9%), pregnancy and breast feeding (27.9%). Results from logistic regression analysis showed that participants from other ethnic groups were 4.6 times less likely than the Yorubas to have a positive attitude towards blood donation and blood banks. This observed difference was statistically significant (OR=0.22, 95% C.I = 0.05 - 0.97). These data highlights a high willingness of respondents to donate blood but poor attitude and knowledge towards blood donation and blood bank, hence the need for intensive campaigns and educating the public on blood donation practices and its importance so as to change this. Also putting in place policies and plans to recruit and convert non-donors who are willing to donate into regular and repeat donors, administering interventions to remove barriers preventing women from donating.