A STUDY TO ASSESS THE BARRIERS AND FACILITATORS OF BLOOD DONATION AMONG UNIVERSITY STUDENTS OF SOUTH INDIA

Introduction: Donated blood is crucial and lifesaving during medical emergencies. In a university campus associated with a hospital, it is important to understand students’ perceptions toward blood donation to encourage their participation. Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study among 354 university student volunteers used convenience sampling to assess factors influencing voluntary blood donation. Logistic regression estimated adjusted associations; analyses were done in R with odds ratios, 95% CIs, and p<0.05. Results: Of 354 respondents, 38.98% (n=138) had donated blood at least once. Factors significantly associated with blood donation included gender, NGO membership, frequency of volunteering, fear of needles, and belief that one might acquire disease during donation. Conclusion: Despite good knowledge, attitudes and practices were less favorable. Engagement in NGOs and voluntary activities appears to facilitate donation by instilling a sense of giving. Encouraging volunteerism may effectively increase youth blood donation.