Voluntary Blood Donation: Factors that influence in the donation of blood in college students of Lima – Perú

Objective: To identify the main knowledge and attitudes that influence in the voluntary donation of blood in the college students of the city Lima - Perú.

Methods: We interviewed 285 College students and applied a survey to evaluate the level of knowledge on the sanguineous donation and its attitudes towards the same one.

Results: Of the 285 interviewees. Age average 19.3+/- 1.61 years old. Sex: male 135 (47,4%), female (52,6%). Knowledge: in which events transfusion is needed blood: Associated to chronic diseases 141 (49,5%), situations associated to major surgery 111 (38,9%), other 24 (8,4%), complications of pregnancy 6 (2%), hematological upheavals 3 (1,1%). Who think that can happen to a person who donates blood: nothing happens to them 207 (72,6%), get weak 57 (20%), gain weight 9 (3,2%), loss weight 6 (2,1%), get sick 3 (1,1%), other 3 (1,1%). About the knowledge of the diseases that can be transmitted in a donation, they answered: VIH 237 (88,8%), hepatitis 27 (10,1%) and leukemia 3 (1,1%). Attitudes: 100% of the interviewed students are willing to donate blood. The serious sanguineous donation will be for: a relative 174 (61,1%), for a person who needs blood and that they do not know 78(27,4%), other 18 (6,3%), for a friend 15 (5,3%). They get nervous seeing blood: women 15 (5,3%) and men 12 (4,3%) of the total interviewees.

Conclusions: The interviewed college students are influenced more for the positive personal attitudes towards the blood donation than the knowledge that they have about the same one.