Pattern of ABO and Rh Blood Groups and Gender-Wise Distribution among School Going Children of Jammu Region

Background: The distribution of blood groups within population is crucial for bloodtransfusion safety and understanding potential health risks associated with variousblood types. This study addresses the research gap concerning the distribution of ABOand Rh blood groups among school-going children in the Jammu region of India,aiming to explore potential gender-based differences in these distributions. Methods:A cross-sectional study was conducted at Acharya Shri Chander College of MedicalSciences and Hospital, Jammu, involving 200 randomly selected school-goingchildren aged 6 to 15 years. Blood samples were collected and analysed to determineABO and Rh blood groups using standard serological techniques. The data wasstatistically analysed using SPSS software, with chi-square tests employed to assessgender differences. Results: The study revealed that 38.0% of participants belonged toblood group O, followed by B (31.5%), A (22.0%), and AB (8.5%). Gender-wiseanalysis indicated no significant differences in ABO blood group distribution(P=0.9839), while 93.0% of participants were Rh-positive, with a slight femalepredominance in Rh-positive status. Conclusion and Implications: This studyenhances the understanding of blood group distribution patterns, essential foroptimizing blood transfusion services and evaluating disease susceptibility in theregion. These findings have significant implications for local healthcare planning andblood bank management, ensuring the availability of compatible blood products andreducing transfusion-related risks