Blood donors' awareness and attitudes towards blood transfusion safety in the Autonomous Province of Vojvodina, Serbia

SUMMARY Objectives To assess the awareness and attitudes related to blood transfusion safety among blood donors from the Autonomous Province (AP) Vojvodina, Republic of Serbia. Background Blood donors are at the initial point of safe blood transfusion systems. The active participation of blood donors in the selection process contributes to increasing the safety of blood transfusions and reduces potential risks for the recipients. Materials and Methods This cross‐sectional survey included 1191 blood donors from AP Vojvodina. The awareness and attitudes regarding safe blood supply were measured as 5‐point scales of agreement/disagreement with statements on a Likert scale. The data were analysed using non‐parametric methods by frequency modalities. Results Male blood donors, the youngest age group (18–20 years), those who donate blood for the first time and those with a lower educational level showed the lowest awareness of, and the most negative attitudes about, blood safety. Conclusions The study found that there is a small but, for the safety of transfusion, significant number of blood donors who do not have a positive attitude or awareness of their own impact on safe transfusion therapy and who are not discovered during standard selection procedures.