Abstract

The purpose of the study was to investigate personal variables and attitude toward voluntary blood donation among residents of Akwa Ibom State. The specific objectives focused on influences of age, gender, education and perceived barriers on attitude towards voluntary blood donation. Using a community-based, crosssectional study design, 1,200 adults aged 18–55 years; were randomly sampled from a cluster sampling of four Local Government Areas within each of the State’s three Senatorial Districts. A pre-validated and reliability tested researcherdeveloped questionnaire was used and data were analyzed with descriptive statistics, chi-square, and t-tests (alpha = .05). A statistical software) was employed. The results revealed all tests show significant differences at α = 0.05 level. There is significant influence of age (.F=10.32); significant influence of gender (.t = 4.48); and significant influence of education (t = 4.04).There is significant difference in perceived barriers (.t =31.53). The residents showed their perceived barriers have negative influence on attitude towards voluntary blood donation among them. Education showed the smallest but still significant difference. Perceived barriers (e.g. fear of needles, infection misconceptions) showed a significant negative influence. The study concluded the socio-demographic and psychological factors shape blood donation attitudes. Recommendations include establishment of youth donation clubs in schools, gender-sensitive interventions to engage women and deploying mobile blood units to rural and lowincome communities