Changing Minds, Saving Lives: Effectiveness of an Educational Module on Attitudes and Deterring Factors Toward Blood Donation among Undergraduate Students

Objectives Voluntary blood donation is vital for saving lives, yet participation among undergraduate students remains low due to fear, misconceptions, and lack of awareness. As this group represents a major potential donor base, the present study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of an educational module on attitudes and deterring factors toward blood donation among undergraduate students, and to examine their association with selected demographic variables and the correlation between attitude and deterring factors. Material and Methods A one-group pre-test post-test study was conducted among 316 first- and second-year undergraduate students from five constituent colleges of Nitte in Karnataka, selected using a nonprobability sampling method. Data were collected using a background proforma, an attitude rating scale, and a structured questionnaire on deterring factors. Following the pre-test, participants received a video-based educational session and a brochure on blood donation. Post-test assessment was done using the same tools. Data were analysed using SPSS version 24 with paired t-test, Wilcoxon signed-rank test, Chi-square test, Fisher’s exact test, Pearson’s, and Spearman’s correlation coefficients. Results The mean attitude score significantly increased from 53.13 ± 7.07 to 63.55 ± 6.21, while the mean deterring factors score decreased from 3.22 ± 2.47 to 1.05 ± 1.27 ( p <0.001). Religion and type of family showed significant associations, and a weak negative correlation was observed between baseline attitude and deterring factors. Conclusion The educational module significantly improved students’ attitudes and reduced deterring factors toward blood donation, highlighting the importance of educational interventions in encouraging voluntary blood donation.