Measuring Intention to Voluntary Blood Donation among Private Higher Education Students, Jimma Town, Oromia, Ethiopia: Using Theory of Planned Behaviour

Abstract

Background: Blood is an important and crucial component in the management of patients presenting with severe accident injuries, surgical conditions, malignancies, pregnancy related complications, and other medical conditions. General objective: To assess intention to voluntary blood donation among private higher education students in Jimma Town, South West Ethiopia, 2019. Methods and Materials: Institution-based cross-sectional study with quantitative methods was conducted in private higher education students in Jimma town. Multistage sampling technique was used to recruit study participants. First simple random sampling technique was used to select departments in each private higher education institution. The sample size was determined using a single population proportion by taking proportion of population intended to donate blood as 50%, 95% confidence interval and 5% margin of error. Seven departments were included in the study and after proportionally allocated in each department, total of 595 were participated in the study, producing response rate of 98%.The data was collected by using self-administered structured questioners with 3 trained data collectors. Multivariable linear regression was done. Result: The overall mean intention of the participant to donate blood voluntary on the next six month was 15.41 with standard deviations of (SD ±4.24), 20.6% of respondents donated blood in the past. The variables explaining 61.3% of the variance of intention to donate blood were: direct perceived behavioral control (β = 0.745, P < 0.001), direct attitude (B=0.295, P<0.001), direct subjective norm (β = 0.131, P< 0.001). Conclusion and Recommendation Respondents’ intentions are mainly determined by perceived barriers and, subjective norms, attitude of respondents towards voluntary blood donation. Thus relevant authorities should have to work on promotional strategies focusing on the elimination of those perceived barriers, misperceptions.