Why is the younger generation not so interested in blood donation
“Every few seconds, someone, somewhere, needs blood.”
Blood donation has long been recognised as a charitable gesture and a positive behavioural trend. Voluntary and Replacement Blood Donors are the two most common types of blood donors.
There is a departure of voluntary donors during significant crises, such as flooding and earthquakes. Such tragedies encourage people to support others without receiving anything in return, and volunteers give a range of charitable donations, including blood. What is not realised, however, is that even otherwise, there is a need for blood? As a result, there is a need for an incentive to donate blood regularly.
It is observed that voluntary blood donors are a minority worldwide, including developed countries like India. Even India’s National Blood Policy acknowledged the importance of voluntary donation of blood and included promoting the same as an effective strategy. Different blood donation obstacles affect people’s attitudes towards blood donation, such as cultural values in some ethnic groups, socio-economic factors, awareness, or lack of knowledge about blood donation and other problems.
According to survey findings, 76 per cent of young people are aware of blood donation value. This is an inspiring figure, and for our future in transfusion medicine, we can probably count on this part of youth. According to other research, 90% of young people understand the importance of blood donation. A large portion (14 per cent) of young people were not aware that blood could be donated in a study. However, surveys conducted in other countries showed that only a small percentage of the population is unaware. The low education ratio in India is the cause of such an intense awareness response. In other nations, high literacy rates are correlated with a higher proportion of young people conscious of the value of blood donation. The explanation may be that most of the media in rural areas are unavailable or inaccessible. Therefore, the rising technology, use and availability gap between rural and urban areas in India is perhaps a significant cause of ignorance about blood donation.
Other factors that act as hurdles for the younger generation
FEAR
Often, the most challenging part of choosing to donate blood is facing the needle stick’s terror. In Order To help get over their fear of needles, many individuals opt to donate. The entire process of drawing should cause minimal if any, discomfort. The finger prick is typically the only minor discomfort experienced during the preliminary interview process (required to measure your iron level).
“OTHERS ARE DONATING ENOUGH.”
While 40% of the US population is eligible to donate blood, only 5% of eligible do so. Blood shortages occur at different times during the year in blood centres throughout the world. Blood is perishable-while platelets (which are used to treat cancer patients and burn victims) have a shelf life of just five days; whole blood can be safely preserved for 42 days! Therefore, to ensure the protection and availability of blood supplies for all of us, maintaining a steady supply of blood donors is essential.
“MY BLOOD TYPE IS NOT IN DEMAND.”
Blood centres often run short of blood types O, A and B, but shortages of all types occur during the summer and winter holidays. It would help prevent blood shortages if all eligible donors donated at least twice a year.
“I DON’T HAVE ANY SPARE BLOOD TO DONATE.”
Our blood accounts for around 7% of the body weight, with the average adult having two pints of blood for every 25 pounds of body weight. The body manufactures blood all the time. You won’t be able to donate again for 56 days (or eight weeks) after your whole blood donation, during which time your body will completely replenish the blood you so willingly donated. Platelets can be issued up to 24 times every two weeks, plasma every four weeks, and automated red cells every 112 days.
“MY BLOOD ISN’T RICH ENOUGH.”
Females must have a hematocrit (iron) level of 12.5, and males must have a hematocrit (iron) level of 13.0 to donate blood. If you’ve been turned down because of low haemoglobin, your collections specialist will speak to you about how to raise your iron levels. In some instances, some necessary changes to your diet will dramatically increase your iron level.
Why Donate?
The most apparent (and most significant) justification is that it saves lives. Extreme burn victims, patients with blood diseases, and newborn children will benefit significantly from your blood. You affect the lives of three to four individuals every time you donate.
It has the power to save your life. Because releasing iron from the bloodstream regularly stops it from oxidising (which has been related to cancer) and decreases the thickness and stickiness of the blood (which may damage your arteries). This makes blood donors less likely, from cancer to cardiovascular disease, to develop life-threatening illnesses.
