Caregivers’ and healthcare providers’ perceptions of blood availability, safety, and acceptability for patients with cancer in southwestern Uganda

Blood transfusion is crucial in supporting the treatment of patients with cancer. However, in poor-resource settings, blood and blood components remain scarce, and their perceived health risks may hinder their use. This study explored the perceptions of blood availability, safety, and acceptability among caregivers and healthcare providers of patients with cancer at Mbarara Regional Referral Hospital in southwestern Uganda. This study employed a qualitative design involving in-depth interviews and key informant interviews with caregivers of patients with cancer and healthcare providers, between September and December 2024. The interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed, translated, and analyzed using thematic content analysis. Of the 30 participants enrolled, 16 were caregivers of patients with cancer (mean age: 36; standard deviation, SD: 10.65 years) and 14 were healthcare providers (mean: 6.5; SD: 5.77 years of practice). Blood availability relied mostly on volunteer donors in educational institutions, and blood shortages were common during school recesses. Other highlighted additional constraints included donor complacency, limited availability of some blood groups, and disruptions during disease outbreaks. While most caregivers trusted that transfused blood was safe, some expressed concerns regarding adverse events and infection risks. Caregivers highly accepted blood transfusion as a life-saving intervention, but concerns relating it to end-of-life care, as well as cultural and religious beliefs were documented, and these were reported to influence transfusion acceptance. These findings reveal persistent blood shortages, with transfusion acceptance influenced by system-level and sociocultural constraints. Since patients with cancer require frequent transfusions, addressing challenges of blood supply and transfusion uptake through coordinated interventions is essential to support cancer care.