The study the effect of motivational lectures on voluntary blood donations among young blood donors

Abstract

Background:

Voluntary blood donation is vital for maintaining a safe and adequate blood supply, especially in developing countries. However, recruiting and retaining young blood donors remains challenging despite their importance in ensuring a sustainable blood supply. Motivational speeches serve as a powerful tool to educate, dispel myths, and emphasize the benefits of blood donation for both individuals and society. This study aims to evaluate the impact of motivational talks on encouraging young people to donate blood voluntarily. By understanding how such interventions influence donor behavior, strategies can be developed to enhance youth engagement and ensure a steady and safe blood supply in the future.

Aims: The study aimed to evaluate the importance of motivational lectures on voluntary blood donation among young individuals, particularly those nearing their 18th birthday. The focus was to see if lectures given in the year before their 18th birthday, followed by a reminder on their birthday, would increase blood donation.

Materials & Methods: This community-based prospective study was conducted from November 2020 to May 2022 at a tertiary care center in Central India, focusing on high school students aged 16-18 years. Motivational lectures on blood donation were delivered both online and offline due to COVID-19 restrictions. Follow-up was conducted through communication platforms to assess students' intentions and experiences with blood donation after achieving the eligibility age of 18 years.

Results: A total of 569 students participated, with 52.5% (299) attending online and 47.4% (270) attending ofine lectures. While 62.65% expressed intent to donate after the lectures, this dropped to 54.54% at the three-month follow-up, with no donations during the study. Key barriers included the need for parental consent (increased from 6.02% to 11%) and health concerns (10.1%).

Conclusion: Motivational lectures help to improve students' attitudes toward blood donation. However, these lectures alone do not significantly increase donations. Parental involvement should be added to these programs to make them more effective. Similar programs should be evaluated in the first year of higher education for greater exposure to blood donation.