Co esponding au ho : DJOKO E nes
Copy igh © 2025 Au ho (s) e ain he copy igh o his a icle. This a icle is published unde he e ms o he C ea i e Commons A ibu ion Liscense 4.0.
Blood Dona ion: Belie s And Pe cep ions in Wes e n Came oon
DJOKO E nes 1, *, KAPCHE Bel iane 2, SIMO Josué 2 and FOTSING KWETCHE Pie e Réné 3
1 Labo a o y o Galenic pha macy, Facul y o pha macy, Uni e si é des Mon agnes –Bangang é, Republic.o Came oon.
2 Labo a o y o Hema ology, Facul y o pha macy, Uni e si é des Mon agnes –Bangang é, Republic o Came oon.
3 Labo a o y o Bac e iology, Facul y o pha macy, Uni e si é des Mon agnes –Bangang é, Republic o Came oon.
Wo ld Jou nal o Ad anced Resea ch and Re iews, 2025, 27(02), 1639-1651
Publica ion his o y: Recei ed on 13 July 2025; e ised on 20 Augus ; accep ed on 23 Augus 2025
A icle DOI: h ps://doi.o g/10.30574/wja .2025.27.2.3014
Abs ac
The need o blood and blood p oduc s is uni e sal, bu access o hem is a majo public heal h issue, pa icula ly in
low- and middle-income coun ies such as Came oon, whe e demand a exceeds supply. Blood dona ion p ac ices a y
a ound he wo ld, which a ec s he a ailabili y o blood when needed. These di e ences a e pa ly due o he di e en
belie s and pe cep ions ha popula ions ha e abou blood dona ion. This s udy was ini ia ed wi h he aim o
con ibu ing o imp o ing he a ailabili y o blood in heal h acili ies in wes e n Came oon by assessing he belie s and
pe cep ions ha people in his egion ha e abou blood dona ion. This was a desc ip i e c oss-sec ional s udy
conduc ed om No embe 20, 2023, o June 7, 2024, in i e selec ed heal h acili ies and among he popula ion o he
ci y o Bangang é. I included people aged 18 o 65 who we e encoun e ed a he ime o he su ey and who ga e hei
ee and in o med consen . Da a we e collec ed using a p e-es ablished ques ionnai e. S a is ical analysis was
pe o med using s a is ical ools p o ided by Excel 2016. 400 pa icipan s we e ec ui ed, and he esul s show ha :
he p edominan gende was emale (55.2%); 72.3% o pa icipan s we e be ween 18 and 35 yea s o age; 52.8% o
hem we e single. Uni e si y and seconda y educa ion le els we e he mos ep esen ed, wi h 47.8% and 46.8%
espec i ely. The assessmen o knowledge, pe cep ions, and belie s showed ha in he s udy popula ion, 34% had good
knowledge abou blood, 49% had good knowledge abou blood dona ion; 71% had good belie s, as hey belie ed ha
blood dona ion sa es li es, and 74.5% had good pe cep ions and belie ed ha i is a humani a ian o ci ic ac . The main
ba ie s o blood dona ion iden i ied we e he misconcep ion ha blood is sold a e dona ion (23%), ea o needles
(20.5%), and ea o disease ansmission (16.2%). Taking in o accoun hese di e en belie s, pe cep ions, and ba ie s
o blood dona ion p o ides ad an age o implemen ing a policy o imp o e olun a y blood dona ion.
Keywo ds: Blood dona ion; Belie s; Pe cep ions; Ba ie s
1. In oduc ion
Blood dona ion is he olun a y ans e o blood o blood componen s by a pe son o he apeu ic pu poses [1]. This
ac i i y he e o e depends on olun a y, unpaid dono s; i is based on he p inciples o anonymi y, olun a iness, and
al uism. The e a e h ee ypes o blood dona ion: olun a y unpaid dona ion, amily dona ion (which may be
eplacemen o di ec ed), and paid dona ion [2]. The ype o dona ion is an impo an ac o because o i s di ec impac
on he ans usion sa e y o he ecipien and e en he sa e y o he dono .
Blood dona ions a e used in many eme gency medical p ocedu es, and an adequa e blood supply is an essen ial pa o
any heal h se ice. In addi ion, hospi al blood banks esponsible o main aining an adequa e blood supply ely on he
olun a y and ac i e pa icipa ion o he public in blood dona ion. Howe e , in he li e a u e, mos s udies on blood
dona ion p ac ices epo ha i is mos ly amily-o ien ed in de eloping coun ies and anonymous in de eloped
coun ies [3]; his si ua ion in luences, i s , he imely a ailabili y o blood and, second, ans usion sa e y. This
Wo ld Jou nal o Ad anced Resea ch and Re iews, 2025, 27(02), 1639-1651
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di e ence could be due in pa o he di e en belie s and pe cep ions ha popula ions ha e abou blood dona ion.
Indeed, in he li e a u e, blood is conside ed in some communi ies as an objec o socio-cul u al ep esen a ions [4].
Some au ho s epo ha in A ica, blood has a pa adoxical dimension in ha i ca ies he soul, pe sonali y, o cha ac e
o he indi idual; i symbolizes he eeling o belonging o a amily o communi y [5]. Acco ding o o he au ho s, blood
e ains symbolic aspec s despi e scien i ic ea men and medical use. In Came oon in pa icula , cul u al and eligious
di e si y could lead o pe cep ions, ep esen a ions, and belie s ha may in luence he a ailabili y o blood in hospi als.
Came oon has only 10% olun a y dono s, compa ed o 90% amily o di ec ed dono s [6]. Fu he mo e, be ween 2016
and 2022, he numbe o blood bags collec ed annually ose om 70,000 o 147,000 acco ding o he Na ional Blood
T ans usion P og am, which emains insu icien as he numbe o blood bags needed annually is es ima ed a 400,000
[7]. The esul is mul iple dea hs each yea , wi h p egnan women, child en, and oad acciden ic ims being he mos
a ec ed. In Wes Came oon in pa icula , blood needs we e es ima ed a 34,756.19 bags in 2016, compa ed o 2,961
bags collec ed in he same yea , esul ing in a signi ican di e ence; Co e age o needs was only 8.41% [8]. Thus, in
91.59% o cases, he li es o people equi ing blood ans usions we e pu a isk in his egion [9]. Gi en he inc ease
in li e expec ancy, which will be ollowed by an inc ease in demand, i is he e o e impe a i e and necessa y o an icipa e
u u e si ua ions in he ield o blood ans usion, and his equi es he ec ui men and e en ion o a su icien numbe
o dono s. I is necessa y o unde s and he belie s and pe cep ions ha in luence he beha io o adul olun a y and
unpaid blood dono s. The pu pose o his s udy is o con ibu e o imp o ing he a ailabili y o blood in heal h acili ies
in wes e n Came oon by assessing he belie s and pe cep ions ha he popula ions o wes e n Came oon ha e abou
blood dona ion h ough hei expe ience and li ed eali y, which will enable he implemen a ion o e ec i e s a egies
o mo i a e dono s and educe ba ie s o blood dona ion.
2. Me hodology
2.1. S udy popula ion
This c oss-sec ional, desc ip i e s udy a ge ed he popula ion o he own o Bangang é and pa ien s admi ed o i e
heal h acili ies in he Wes Region: Bangoua P o es an Hospi al, Bangang é Dis ic Hospi al, “Cliniques Uni e si ai es
des Mon agnes”, Kouekong Regional Hospi al Cen e , and Foumban Regional Annex Hospi al. These heal h cen e s we e
chosen o hei accessibili y, loca ion, a endance, quali y o ca e, and he good epu a ion and enown hey enjoy
among he popula ions o Wes Came oon.
The s udy co e ed he gene al popula ion aged be ween 18 and 65 who a ended he selec ed hospi als be ween
No embe 20, 2023, and June 7, 2024. I also included all people in he same age g oup encoun e ed du ing he same
pe iod in he own o Bangang é.
The s udy included indi iduals aged 18 o 65 encoun e ed a he ime o he su ey who ag eed o coope a e by signing
he in o med consen o m in he ci y o Bangang é and in he a ge ed heal h acili ies. Indi iduals who we e unable o
comple e he ques ionnai e we e excluded om he s udy.
2.2. Da a collec ion ool
The in o ma ions was collec ed using a ques ionnai e con aining 34 ques ions on: sociodemog aphic cha ac e is ics,
knowledge abou blood, knowledge abou blood dona ion, pe cep ions o blood dona ion, belie s abou blood dona ion,
ac o s p e en ing blood dona ion, and pe sonal ecommenda ions ega ding blood dona ion.
O he s udies we e used as a basis o he design o his su ey o m, no ably hose by Aoulou in 2013[10], Salaudeen
e al in 2011[11], and Doumbia in 2021[12], supplemen ed by a ew ques ions speci ic o he cu en con ex .
2.3. Da a collec ion p ocedu e
• -Wi hin hospi als
A e ob aining e hical clea ance om he ins i u ional e hics commi ee o he “Uni e si é des Mon agnes” and esea ch
au ho iza ions om he managemen o he ec ui ing ins i u ions, he s udy ollowed he ollowing p ocedu e:
o Con ac ing pa icipan s;
o P esen a ion o he s udy and i s pu pose by he p incipal in es iga o ;
o Dis ibu ion o he su ey and consen o m;
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o Signing o he consen o m and comple ion o he su ey o m by each pa icipan ;
o Regis a ion o each pa icipan wi h he assignmen o an anonymous code numbe ;
o Re u n o he ques ionnai es in pe son.
o The mee ing wi h pa icipan s ook place in a ious hospi al depa men s; a p esen a ion o he s udy was
gi en be o e pa icipan s we e asked o ake pa .
• -Wi hin he communi y o he own o Bangang é
A e ob aining e hical clea ance om he ins i u ional e hics commi ee o he Uni e si é des Mon agnes and esea ch
au ho iza ion om he p e ec o he depa men o Ndé, he s udy p oceeded as ollows:
o Con ac ing pa icipan s;
o Dis ibu ing he su ey and consen o m;
o Signing o he consen o m and comple ion o he su ey o m by each pa icipan ;
o Regis a ion o each pa icipan wi h assignmen o an anonymous code numbe ;
Mee ings wi h pa icipan s ook place in ga he ing places such as ma ke s and places o wo ship.
2.4. E hical conside a ions
The s udy did no in ol e any human manipula ion; he digni y o he in e iewees was p o ec ed by he anonymi y o
hei esponses. The ques ionnai es we e kep sec e o ensu e con iden iali y. In acco dance wi h medical e hics, he
a ious esea ch au ho iza ions we e ob ained be o e he s a o he wo k; hey we e made a ailable o he E hics
Commi ee o he Uni e si y o he Moun ains wi h a copy o he esea ch p o ocol and hen o he managemen o he
hospi als conce ned wi h le e s eques ing consen .
2.4.1. Da a p ocessing and analysis
So wa e used
Da a managemen (compila ion, quali y con ol, and coding) and g aphing we e pe o med using Mic oso Excel 2016
so wa e. Ca ego ical a iables we e desc ibed using equencies. A 95% con idence le el was accep ed o s a is ical
analyses, and signi icance was se a P alues less han 0.05.
Da a a ing
• -De ini ion o ope a ional e ms
Knowledge: his e e s o ha ing a ele an idea o being in o med abou some hing, knowing ha i exis s. I cons i u es
all he in o ma ion acqui ed by indi iduals on a gi en subjec .
Belie s: This e e s o adhe ence o ideas, opinions, and alues wi hou a ional, empi ical, o heo e ical e idence
leading o he de elopmen and adop ion o he belie s in ques ion [13].
Rep esen a ions: These could be de ined in gene al e ms as “ he idea we ha e o ...”, also e e ed o as common sense
o nai e knowledge. This o m o knowledge is dis inguished, among o he hings, om scien i ic knowledge [13].
• -Knowledge a ing g id on blood
The da a was a ed by assigning sco es based on a iables. Table 1 speci ies he sco es based on he a iables.
Table1 Da a a ing
Poin s
Pe cen ages
Blood knowledge
Insu icien
0 à 3,4
0 à 49
Su icien
3,5 à 4,9
50 à 75
good
5 à 7
76 à 100
Insu icien
0 à 2,9
0 à 49
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Knowledge bou Blood dona ion
Su icien
3 à 4,9
50 à 75
good
5 à 6
76 à 100
Rep esen a ions
Insu icien
0 à 1,9
0 à 49
Su icien
2 à 2,9
50 à 75
good
3 à 4
76 à 100
Belie s
Insu icien
0 à 1,9
0 à 49
Su icien
2 à 2,9
50 à 75
good
3 à 4
76 à 100
The ques ionnai e consis ed o se en ques ions abou blood. Each co ec answe was wo h one poin and each
inco ec answe was wo h ze o poin s. The maximum numbe o poin s was se en, co esponding o 100%. The e
we e six ques ions abou blood dona ion, wi h one poin o each co ec answe and ze o poin s o each inco ec
answe ; six poin s co esponded o 100%. Fo ep esen a ions, he e we e ou ques ions, each wo h one poin ; hus,
ou poin s co esponded o 100%. Fo belie s, he e we e also ou ques ions, each wo h one poin , so ha ou poin s
co esponded o 100%.
3. Resul s
The su ey analyzed in o ma ion ob ained om 400 people who me he inclusion c i e ia. The esul s we e p esen ed
sequen ially.
3.1. Socio-Demog aphic Cha ac e is ics O Pa icipan s
The analysis o he ques ionnai es highligh ed gende , age g oup, educa ional le el, ma i al s a us, eligion, depa men
o esidence, eligion, and p o ession. The esul s ob ained a e p esen ed in Tables II.
Table 2 Dis ibu ion o pa icipan s acco ding o hei sociodemog aphic cha ac e is ics
Modali ies
Numbe (n)
F equency (%)
Gende
Female
221
55,2
Male
179
44,8
Age
18-25 yea s
167
41,8
26-35 yea s
122
30,5
36-45 yea s
67
18,8
46-65 yea s
44
11
Educa ional le el
P ima y
21
5,2
Seconda y
187
46,8
Uni e si y
191
47,8
No Le el
1
0,2
Ma i al s a us
Single
211
52,8
ma ied
184
46
widowed
5
1,2
Religion
Ch is ian
338
84,5
Muslim
25
6,2
Jeho ah’s Wi ness
18
4,5
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Animis
19
4,8
Occupa ion
Housewi e
35
8,8
Wo ke
133
33,2
Ci il Se an
44
11
S uden
134
33,5
Medical S a
54
12,6
Di ision o esidence
Mi i
95
23,8
Ndé
215
53,8
Noun
90
22,3
Pa icipan s we e aged be ween 18 and 65. Women p edomina ed, accoun ing o 52.2% o pa icipan s; mo e han hal
o pa icipan s (72.3%) we e aged be ween 18 and 35. The majo i y o pa icipan s had a uni e si y educa ion (47.8%)
and we e single (52.8%). The depa men wi h he highes ep esen a ion was Ndé. Ch is ian pa icipan s we e he
mos ep esen ed in e ms o eligion; in e ms o socio-p o essional s a us, s uden s and pupils we e he mos
ep esen ed.
3.2. Assessmen o le els o knowledge, pe cep ions, and belie s.
3.2.1. Assessmen o knowledge le els
Table 3 p esen s he esul s o he assessmen o knowledge le els abou blood, blood dona ion, belie s, and pe cep ions
abou blood dona ion.
Table 3 Assessmen o le els
Numbe (n)
F equency (%)
Le el o Knowledge abou blood
Insu icien
91
22,8
Su icien
173
43,2
Good
136
34
Le el o knowledge abou blood dona ion
Insu icien
19
4,8
Su icien
185
46,2
Good
192
49
Le el o belie s abou blood dona ion
Insu icien
11
2,8
Su icien
105
26,2
Good
284
71
Le el o pe cep ions abou blood dona ion
Insu icien
42
10,05
Su icien
60
15
Good
298
74,5
In acco dance wi h he a ing p ocedu e desc ibed abo e, he numbe o poin s awa ded was g ouped in o h ee le els
(insu icien , su icien , and good).
In e ms o pa icipan s' knowledge o blood, only 34% had a good le el o knowledge. Howe e , only 4.8% had an
insu icien le el o knowledge abou blood dona ion. 71% o pa icipan s had good belie s abou blood dona ion, and
74.5% had good ep esen a ions.
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3.2.2. Knowledge abou blood
Da a ela ing o pa icipan s' knowledge abou blood a e summa ized in Figu e 1.
Da a ela ing o pa icipan s' knowledge abou blood a e summa ized in Figu e 1.
Figu e 1 Dis ibu ion o pa icipan s acco ding o hei knowledge abou blood
The da a om Figu e 1 show ha :
• -Knowledge abou he de ini ion o blood is inco ec among 66.5% o pa icipan s;
Howe e :
• -Knowledge abou he o igin o blood in he body is co ec among 54% o pa icipan s;
• -Knowledge o he o igin o blood in blood banks is co ec among 95.8% o pa icipan s;
• -Knowledge o he uses o blood in gene al is co ec among 90.5% o pa icipan s;
• -Knowledge o he signs o anemia is co ec among all pa icipan s.
3.2.3. Knowledge abou blood dona ion
The le el o knowledge o he da a ela ing o pa icipan s' knowledge abou blood dona ion is p esen ed in Figu e 2.
Figu e 2 Dis ibu ion o pa icipan s acco ding o hei knowledge o blood dona ion
Figu e 2 shows ha :
• 95.2% o pa icipan s ha e hea d o blood dona ion;
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• 97% o pa icipan s know wha blood dona ion is;
• 95.2% know who ecei es blood dona ions;
• 90.2% o pa icipan s know how o en blood dona ions a e made;
• 79.2% o pa icipan s know whe e o dona e blood;
Howe e :
• 50.2% o pa icipan s belie e ha blood dona ion can ha m he ecipien o he dono ;
• 81.8% a e unawa e o he c i e ia o becoming a blood dono
3.2.4. Belie s abou blood dona ion
Da a on pa icipan s' belie s abou blood dona ion a e summa ized in Figu e 3.
Figu e 3 Dis ibu ion o pa icipan s based on hei belie s abou blood dona ion
Figu e 3 shows ha 75% o pa icipan s do no ha e a posi i e belie abou he des ina ion o he collec ed blood;
On he o he hand:
• 93% ha e a posi i e belie abou dona ing blood
• Belie s abou dona ing blood a e posi i e among 93% o pa icipan s;
• Belie s abou he pe cep ion o blood dona ion acco ding o eligion o adi ion a e posi i e among 95.2% o
pa icipan s;
• Belie s abou he use o dona ed blood a e posi i e among 69.8% o pa icipan s.
3.2.5. Rep esen a ions o Blood Dona ion
The analysis o da a ela ing o pa icipan s' ep esen a ions abou blood dona ion yielded he esul s summa ized in
Figu e 4.
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Figu e 4 Dis ibu ion o pa icipan s acco ding o hei pe cep ions o blood dona ion
The da a om Figu e 4 allow o dis inguish ha among he pa icipan s' pe cep ions o blood dona ion:
• Pe cep ions o blood dona ion a e posi i e among all pa icipan s;
• Pe cep ions o whe he blood dona ion is bad o no a e posi i e among 89.5% o pa icipan s;
• Pe cep ions o being able o accep blood om a s ange a e posi i e among 78.8% o pa icipan s.
3.3. Ba ie s o blood dona ion
Figu e 5 summa izes he a ious easons ha may mo i a e people o dona e blood.
Figu e 5 Dis ibu ion o pa icipan s acco ding o hei mo i a ion o dona ing blood
The da a in his igu e shows ha he majo i y o pa icipan s (65%) jus i y hei willingness o dona e blood by he
desi e o sa e a li e.
The equency o blood dona ions is shown in Figu e 3.
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Figu e 6 Dis ibu ion o pa icipan s acco ding o equency o blood dona ion
As shown in Figu e 6, o he 400 pa icipan s, mo e han hal had ne e dona ed blood, and he majo i y o hose who
had dona ed had done so only once.
Pa icipan s ga e many easons o jus i y hei e usal o dona e blood. The mos salien o hese easons we e ex ac ed,
g ouped, and p esen ed in Figu e 7:
Figu e 7 Ba ie s o blood dona ion
The da a collec ed in Figu e 7 show ha six easons a e he main ba ie s o blood dona ion o a leas 80% o
pa icipan s. Among hese, he sale o blood a e collec ion, ea o needles, and ea o disease ansmission we e o
conce n o mo e han 50% o pa icipan s.
3.4. Analysis o socio-demog aphic cha ac e is ics associa ed wi h blood dona ion
The analysis o socio-demog aphic cha ac e is ics associa ed wi h blood dona ion is p esen ed in Table 4.
