Factors Associated with Blood Donation Among Health Care Providers at the Cape Coast Teaching Hospital, Central Region.

Abstract

Background: Most countries in Africa including every country in sub-Saharan Africa experience blood shortages. The blood donation rate of 6.8/1000 people in low-middle income countries is abysmally low compared to the donation rate of 31.5/1000 people in high income countries. Accruing a stable voluntary blood donation base is crucial to addressing the challenges sub-Saharan African countries face with regards to access to blood products. An assessment of the factors associated with blood donation would be pivotal in designing interventions to predict and enhance blood donation behaviour change. Objective: To assess factors associated with blood donation among health care providers at the Cape Coast Teaching Hospital, Central Region. Method: The study adopted a cross-sectional study design using quantitative methods to collect data from 458 health care providers at the Cape Coast Teaching Hospital (CCTH) for analysis. A structured questionnaire validated by earlier researchers was adapted and administered to the participants who were recruited using the stratified random sampling and systematic random sampling techniques. The variables measured were grouped into dependent and independent. The data collected were analysed using STATA version 17. Descriptive statistics were presented in tables and graphs. Chi-square test and logistic regression analysis were used to ascertain the association between the dependent and independent variables. A level of significance of p<0.05 at 95% Confidence Interval (CI) was used. Result: The estimated sample size was 458 participants however, the final analysis included 455 respondents (response rate = 99.3%). The prevalence of blood donation at CCTH was 36.3% amongst the respondents. Sex was significantly associated with the practice of blood donation with females less likely to donate blood than males AOR=0.63 (95% CI 0.41,0.98). There was an association between intention and practise of blood donation. Those who had ever donated blood in the past were more likely to be willing to donate blood in the future than those who had never donated blood AOR=8.68 (95% CI 3.82, 19.73). Community factors such as cultural acceptance, religious acceptance, peer and family influence were significantly associated with blood donation (p<0.05). Predictors of the practice of blood donation included male sex, future blood donation intention, discouraging spiritual perception of blood donation as well as peer and family donation of blood (p<0.05). Conclusion: The practice of blood donation amongst the health care providers at CCTH was low compared to similar studies undertaken in low-middle income countries. Community factors are most likely to influence blood donation practice. Hence, more attention should be paid to these factors when designing interventions to bring about blood donation behaviour change.