• Pravakar Dawadi, Sabina Khadka, Milan Chandra Khanal, and Raj Kumar Thapa.
• Nepalese Army Institute of Health Sciences, Sanobharyang, Kathmandu, Nepal.
• JNMA J Nepal Med Assoc. 2020 Dec 31; 58 (232): 998-1004.

IntroductionVoluntary blood donation is a reliable source of increasing the demand for blood transfusion. Medical students are the potential pool of blood donors. This study aims to find the prevalence of blood donation practice among medical students of a medical college in Nepal.MethodsThis is a descriptive cross-sectional study conducted in a medical college of Nepal among students studying from the first year to final year MBBS. Ethical approval was obtained from the Institutional Review Committee of the Nepalese Army Institute of Health Sciences (Ref no. 245). A stratified random sampling technique was used to collect data. A self-administered pre-tested questionnaire was used to collect data. Data were analyzed using Microsoft Excel 2016.ResultsThe prevalence of blood donation practice among medical students of the medical college is 41 (22.20%) (17.35-27.05 at 95% Confidence Interval). The practice of blood donation is seen more among students of the final year 15 (35.71%) and the least among first year 3 (8.57%). Most of the donors, 24 (58.54%), have donated blood only once before. The most common reasons for donating and not donating blood before are 'behavior of altruism' 12 (29.27%) and 'I am not fit/disapproved' 44 (30.56%) respectively.ConclusionsThis study shows less prevalence of blood donation practice among medical students. It points to the need for more extensive studies to explore the factors deterring medical students from donating blood. Definitive strategies are also needed to encourage medical students to increased voluntary participation in blood donation.

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