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Cross-Sectional Study on Knowledge, Attitude and Practice of Voluntary Blood Donation among Nursing Staff at Orotta National Referral Teaching Hospital Asmara, Eritrea

Introduction: Blood transfusion is one of the essential components of quality health care service package. Safe blood for transfusion is obtained mainly from Voluntary blood donors that are considered as safe contributors of blood and blood components. even though the level of knowledge, attitude and beliefs regarding blood donation affects the number of potential voluntary blood donors, in emergency situations the availability and accessibility of safe blood and blood products is crucial; Objective: The aim of this study was to assess the knowledge, attitude and practice towards voluntary blood donation among nursing staff and to determine the association between blood donation, and gender, age and educational or professional level of nursing staff.Methodology: A cross-sectionalstudy on knowledge, attitude, and practice of voluntary blood donation among nursing staff was conducted at Orotta National Referral and Teaching Hospital (ONRTH), Asmara, Eritrea. In this study a total of 142 nursing staff were recruited. A structured questionnaire was applied to collect information. Data was cleaned, coded, entered and analyzed using SPSS version 22. Results: The study included a total of 142 nursing staff that had three professional levels. Majority (67.6%) of the study participants were females with a Mean age of 26.99 years (SD ±6.643). About 78% and 94% were Orthodox by religion and Tigrigna ethnic group, respectively. Majority (100%, 93.7%) of the studyparticipant had good knowledge on blood groups/types and their blood group and Rh. Almost 99 % and 75% had awareness on age group permitted to donate blood and blood donation interval of 3 months. The study results revealed an average knowledge on blood donation of people with chronic non – communicable diseases but good knowledge on the harmfulness and unsafely of blood drawing from people with communicable diseases mainly Hepatitis (97.9%) and HIV/AIDs (99.3%). Around 92% and 56 % of the study participants responded that pregnant and lactating women cannot donate blood. Nearly Sixty five percent of the respondents noted that blood drawing at once/single time should not exceed 500ml and either within the time interval of less or 20 minutes (36.6%), or 20 minutes to 1 hour (35.2%). Majority(94.4%) of the respondents agreed that blood donation as good and voluntary donors as the best (90.1%) where as 78.2% mentioned also patients relatives blood donation as a replacement donation. Temporary weakness (77.5%) was as the main complication that can happen during and after blood donation. Around half (55 %) of the nursing staff have never donated blood and the main reason for not donating blood was underweight (57%). About 68 % of those who donated blood 44.4% were voluntarily blood donors less than once(93.7%) in a year. The study revealed a significant association between blood donation and male gender (𝑃-value = 0.001), but age (𝑃-value= 0.384) and nursing staff educational or professional level (𝑃-value= 0.721) were found to have no significant association.Discussion and conclusion: The study results revealed a good knowledge and attitude towards blood donation. But the level of practice in donating blood was found to be very low.Significant association between male gender and blood donation was found. But age and educational or professional level were found to have no significant association with blood donation.Therefore, the study recommends to Ministry of Health, higher teaching institutions (medical school and college of health sciences) and the national blood bank to design policies and strategies that promote and motivate students and health service staff members in donating blood and pivoting the communities towards voluntary blood donation.