Exploring the determinants of risk behavior for transfusion transmissible infections among first-time blood donors in Mandalay General Hospital, Myanmar.

INTRODUCTION: Blood donation is vital to healthcare, but it must be kept safe by mitigating the risk of transfusion transmissible infections (TTIs). The objective of this study was to investigate the factors that influence risk behavior for transfusion transmissible infections among first-time blood donors at Mandalay General Hospital, Myanmar. METHODS: This study utilized a cross-sectional study design using secondary data. Mandalay city and Mandalay Blood Bank in Mandalay General Hospital were purposely selected and a total of 406 first-time blood donors participated. A structured questionnaire administered by an interviewer was used. The questionnaire contained background characteristics, knowledge on TTIs, attitude toward TTIs, and TTIs risk behaviors. To examine the determinants (background characteristics, knowledge, and attitude) that affect risk behavior, inferential statistics techniques that included the chi-squared test, bivariable logistic regression, and multivariable logistic regression were applied. A p-value of less than 0.05 signified statistical significance. RESULTS: Among 406 first-time blood donors, 52.9% were under 20 years old, and 53.7% were male. Most had undergraduate education (77.6%), were married (84.2%), and were students (55.7%). Additionally, 76.8% hadn't received the hepatitis B vaccine. Blood groups were distributed as follows: B (40.0%), O (33.8%), A (23.4%), AB (8.9%). About 15.8% showed high knowledge level, and 63.6% had high attitude. Notably, 29.3% exhibited high-risk behavior for TTIs. Age was associated with lower risk behavior (OR = 1.54, 95% CI: 0.99, 2.38, p = 0.049), but lost significance in multivariable regression (p = 0.214). Knowledge on TTIs didn't show significance. However, high attitudes were significantly associated with lower risk behavior (OR = 11.4, 95% CI: 1.25, 103.83, p = 0.017, retained in multivariable regression, p = 0.012). CONCLUSION: Findings of this study contribute in the development of programs that ensure a safe and reliable blood supply chain. To improve blood safety standards among first-time blood donors, this study highlights the value of targeted education and screening processes, placing particular emphasis on acquiring knowledge and positive attitude toward blood donation and risk behavior.

Misconception between palliative care and euthanasia among Thai general practitioners: a cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: Palliative care lower medical expenses and enhances quality of life, but misconception with euthanasia delays timely care and makes inappropriate patient management. OBJECTIVE: To examine the magnitude of misconceptions between palliative care and euthanasia among Thai general practitioners, explore the association with knowledge, attitudes, and practical experience, and assess the association between misconception and confidence in practicing and referring patients to palliative care centers. METHODS: All 144 general practitioners who were going to start residency training at Maharaj Nakorn Chiang Mai Hospital in 2021 participated in this observational cross-sectional study. A chi-square test was utilized to examine the relationship between misconception and knowledge, attitude, practical experience, confidence to practice, and confidence to refer patients. Multivariable logistic regression was carried out while controlling for age, sex, knowledge, attitude, and experience to examine the relationship between misconception and confidence to practice and refer patients for palliative care. Statistical significance was defined at p < 0.05. RESULTS: About 41% of general physicians had misconceptions regarding palliative care and euthanasia. High knowledge was associated with a lower level of misconception (p = 0.01). The absence of misconceptions was weakly associated with a higher level of confidence in practicing palliative care, with an adjusted odds ratio of 1.51 (95% confidence interval 0.73 to 3.10, p = 0.07). CONCLUSION: High misconception rates between palliative care and euthanasia among young Thai physicians might impact their confidence in delivering palliative care. Training initiatives for medical students and practitioners can mitigate misconceptions, fostering better palliative care utilization in Thailand.