Factors associated with the intention to donate blood among secondary school students in East Central Uganda: an application of the theory of planned behavior

Background: The availability of donated blood in Uganda rests on the goodwill of voluntary donors. Previous studies have shown that intention to donate blood predicts the practice of blood donation. To design interventions aimed at improving the availability of donated blood, there is a need to understand intention to donate blood. This study aimed to apply the theory of planned behavior (TPB) to assess the factors associated with the intention to donate blood among secondary school students, the major blood donor group in Uganda. Methods: value of < 0.05 was considered significant. Results: value = 0.003). The students' attitude towards blood donation and moral responsibility were not associated with their intention to donate blood. Conclusion: Our findings showed a moderate level of intention to donate blood among the students. Perceived behavioral control and subjective norms were associated with the students' intention to donate blood.