Mixed-methods exploration of the knowledge of young adults about blood donation processes; a one-center cross-sectional study in a tertiary institution.
Ghana is a majority youthful population, but is only able to meet 60% of its annual blood donation requirements. Although tertiary students in Ghana may serve as important blood donor resource by virtue of their higher educational attainment, data about their blood donation processes-specific knowle...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Public Library of Science (PLoS)
2024-01-01
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| Series: | PLoS ONE |
| Online Access: | https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article/file?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0295600&type=printable |
| _version_ | 1827386766549581824 |
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| author | Belinda Baidoo Elizabeth Ankomah Mohammed Alhassan Godfred Benya Emmanuella Obike Audrey Benfo Joseph Boachie Patrick Adu |
| author_facet | Belinda Baidoo Elizabeth Ankomah Mohammed Alhassan Godfred Benya Emmanuella Obike Audrey Benfo Joseph Boachie Patrick Adu |
| author_sort | Belinda Baidoo |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Ghana is a majority youthful population, but is only able to meet 60% of its annual blood donation requirements. Although tertiary students in Ghana may serve as important blood donor resource by virtue of their higher educational attainment, data about their blood donation processes-specific knowledge are scarce. This study therefore explored the perspectives, and experiences of young adults regarding blood donation processes. This exploratory study employed mixed-methods approach (semi-structured questionnaire and focus group discussion, [FGD]). Data collection was sequential; the questionnaire distribution was completed before FGD commenced; themes that emerged from the questionnaire responses guided FGDs. Convenience sampling technique was used to recruit 382 young adults (15-49 years). All statistical analyses were undertaken using the two-tail assumptions; p<0.05 was considered statistically significant. Majority (79.3%) of the participants were in their twenties, with only 1.3% being 40-49 years old. Although two-thirds of participants expressed willingness to donate blood, less than a-third (31.7%; 127/382) had previously donated blood. Overall, less than one-third of participants could correctly identify the minimum weight (26.4%), or the inter-donation interval (14.7%); 37.4% and 58.1% could respectively indicate the required donor age or ≥3 infectious agents screened for prior to blood collection. Among previous donors, 37.2%, 28.1% and 43.0% could identify the required weight, acceptable inter-donation period, and donor age respectively. Two-thirds and a-third of participants preferred voluntary unrelated, and paid donations respectively. Whereas 42.4% of participants indicated intrinsic health benefits of blood donation, 17.0% suggested that blood donation was associated with disease risks. Both previous donors and non-donor groups considered lack of education, fear of post-donation health issues and lack of privacy at blood collection centers as main hindrances to donor recruitment. Targeted intentional blood donation-specific educational campaigns are warranted to address the blood donation processes knowledge gap among the study population. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-08T15:50:21Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-04a6ce118c0349548735fd3e43aca9c0 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1932-6203 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-08T15:50:21Z |
| publishDate | 2024-01-01 |
| publisher | Public Library of Science (PLoS) |
| record_format | Article |
| series | PLoS ONE |
| spelling | doaj.art-04a6ce118c0349548735fd3e43aca9c02024-01-09T05:31:04ZengPublic Library of Science (PLoS)PLoS ONE1932-62032024-01-01191e029560010.1371/journal.pone.0295600Mixed-methods exploration of the knowledge of young adults about blood donation processes; a one-center cross-sectional study in a tertiary institution.Belinda BaidooElizabeth AnkomahMohammed AlhassanGodfred BenyaEmmanuella ObikeAudrey BenfoJoseph BoachiePatrick AduGhana is a majority youthful population, but is only able to meet 60% of its annual blood donation requirements. Although tertiary students in Ghana may serve as important blood donor resource by virtue of their higher educational attainment, data about their blood donation processes-specific knowledge are scarce. This study therefore explored the perspectives, and experiences of young adults regarding blood donation processes. This exploratory study employed mixed-methods approach (semi-structured questionnaire and focus group discussion, [FGD]). Data collection was sequential; the questionnaire distribution was completed before FGD commenced; themes that emerged from the questionnaire responses guided FGDs. Convenience sampling technique was used to recruit 382 young adults (15-49 years). All statistical analyses were undertaken using the two-tail assumptions; p<0.05 was considered statistically significant. Majority (79.3%) of the participants were in their twenties, with only 1.3% being 40-49 years old. Although two-thirds of participants expressed willingness to donate blood, less than a-third (31.7%; 127/382) had previously donated blood. Overall, less than one-third of participants could correctly identify the minimum weight (26.4%), or the inter-donation interval (14.7%); 37.4% and 58.1% could respectively indicate the required donor age or ≥3 infectious agents screened for prior to blood collection. Among previous donors, 37.2%, 28.1% and 43.0% could identify the required weight, acceptable inter-donation period, and donor age respectively. Two-thirds and a-third of participants preferred voluntary unrelated, and paid donations respectively. Whereas 42.4% of participants indicated intrinsic health benefits of blood donation, 17.0% suggested that blood donation was associated with disease risks. Both previous donors and non-donor groups considered lack of education, fear of post-donation health issues and lack of privacy at blood collection centers as main hindrances to donor recruitment. Targeted intentional blood donation-specific educational campaigns are warranted to address the blood donation processes knowledge gap among the study population.https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article/file?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0295600&type=printable |
| spellingShingle | Belinda Baidoo Elizabeth Ankomah Mohammed Alhassan Godfred Benya Emmanuella Obike Audrey Benfo Joseph Boachie Patrick Adu Mixed-methods exploration of the knowledge of young adults about blood donation processes; a one-center cross-sectional study in a tertiary institution. PLoS ONE |
| title | Mixed-methods exploration of the knowledge of young adults about blood donation processes; a one-center cross-sectional study in a tertiary institution. |
| title_full | Mixed-methods exploration of the knowledge of young adults about blood donation processes; a one-center cross-sectional study in a tertiary institution. |
| title_fullStr | Mixed-methods exploration of the knowledge of young adults about blood donation processes; a one-center cross-sectional study in a tertiary institution. |
| title_full_unstemmed | Mixed-methods exploration of the knowledge of young adults about blood donation processes; a one-center cross-sectional study in a tertiary institution. |
| title_short | Mixed-methods exploration of the knowledge of young adults about blood donation processes; a one-center cross-sectional study in a tertiary institution. |
| title_sort | mixed methods exploration of the knowledge of young adults about blood donation processes a one center cross sectional study in a tertiary institution |
| url | https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article/file?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0295600&type=printable |
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