Blood donation: Knowledge and willingness levels to donate blood among Medical students of Umm Al-Qura University, Makkah, Saudi Arabia

Abstract Background The longstanding imbalance between the increasing demand for blood donations and the availability of sustainable donors requires continuous, substantial efforts to develop strategies that attract more regular blood donors. Achieving this depends on a clear understanding of the community’s awareness and knowledge levels, their motivators, and the barriers they face to blood donation. Therefore, this study aims to assess the level of awareness among medical students at Umm Al-Qura University in Makkah regarding the importance of blood donation, its benefits, and other relevant scientific facts about the procedure. Additionally, it seeks to evaluate the study population's willingness to donate blood and to identify strategies to increase their willingness to participate in this valuable activity. Methods This is an analytical cross-sectional study based on a questionnaire. Google Docs was used to create and distribute surveys to medical students (MBBS program) at Umm Al-Qura University. Convenience sampling was employed, encouraging eligible students available during activities to participate. All students from different academic years who met the inclusion criteria were invited via email until the desired sample size was achieved. Responses were collected over four months, from December 2021 to March 2022. The study examined outcomes such as donation status, knowledge of donation facts like requirements and procedures, motivators and facilitators, and barriers to blood donation. Results The responses were collected electronically from 600 medical students at Umm Al-Qura University, with a response rate of 30%. Upon analyzing the results, significant correlations were found between donation status and gender (p = 0.002), donation status and age (p = 0.004), and donation status and knowledge level (p > 0.05). Regarding motivators and facilitators for blood donation, the most common were receiving a request from someone they know and taking the day off, respectively. Among barriers, not meeting the donation requirements was the most common. Conclusion Our study is the first to focus on this population and assess their willingness to participate in this essential process. In conclusion, the information collected on motivators, facilitators, and barriers can serve as the foundation for a new blood donation promotion strategy. This strategy could include offering donors a day off work after donating blood. Additionally, increasing the number of mobile blood donation units with flexible hours should be prioritized to cover most areas of large cities. Together with more campaigns and awareness programs, these efforts can help reach a broader population.