G A K Sumali and R P Illeperuma
International Institute of Health Sciences, Welisara, Sri Lanka
Yonsei University, Seoul, Korea
University of Peradeniya, Sri Lanka
Posters & Accepted Abstracts: Prim Health Care
Blood donation is a self-directed volunteer service. Younger people are the future source of blood and they are aware and have knowledge about donation but there is lack of regular donation practice among youngsters. Regular donors in younger age group are less so it is very important to sensitize these people for regular donation. Objectives were to determine the Knowledge, Attitude and Practice (KAP) of blood donation among under-graduate students in University of Peradeniya. And to compare the knowledge of the blood donation between health related and non-health related categories. Method of the study was a survey based, descriptive cross-sectional study which was conducted among 375 under-graduate students in University of Peradeniya and this was selected using stratified random sampling. Data collection tool was a self-administered questionnaire. Results reveled 32.28% of the non-health related students were aware of the appropriate criteria for blood donation. Health related students had higher knowledge about the blood donation criteria (84.44%). In health-related group 66.6% replied HIV/ AIDS can be transmitted to donor while donating blood and while looking at practice only 15.5% donate blood. Similarly in case of non-health group 78.59% replied HIV/ AIDS can be transmitted to donor while donating blood and 22.1% have donated blood. The reasons for not donating blood are fear of needle, transmission of infections, they think that after donation people becomes weak and their weight decreases. Study conclude that though the respondent has good knowledge but there is poor practice and it revealed the fact that adequate knowledge only cannot result in regular blood donation practice. The misconceptions regarding blood donation needs education and motivation through dissemination of information regarding blood donation particularly on electronic media.
