Blood donation attitudes and knowledge in Spanish undergraduates with roles in health-education.

BACKGROUND: Recent investigations highlight how important it is to identify the key factors involved in the design of strategies to promote blood donation among undergraduates as a public health concern. The study aims to investigate attitudes and knowledge towards blood donation in university students with health education roles and examine the way sociodemographic and educational characteristics play a part in it. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A cross-sectional and multi-center design was used. A structured questionnaire was answered by 1128 Spanish university students (Schools of Health Sciences and Education Sciences). RESULTS: The knowledge test indicated a low score (M = 4.2 out of 10), being Me = 3.00 in the case of Education Sciences and Me = 5.00 in Health Sciences students. The greatest degree of importance is found in the "external incentives" dimension (M = 3.7 out of 5). Health science students and participants with relatives who needed a donation showed fewer "fears" (p ≤ 0.001) and "pretexts" (p ≤ 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: The low knowledge score stresses the need to develop valuable health education-related strategies in the curriculum of studies related with health education; showing room for improvement particularly in Education Science students. Health education interventions aimed at increasing donors in the university environment should be designed while considering differences among undergraduates. Based on their better attitudes, health science students might play a relevant role in promoting blood donation.

Conhecimento de estudantes portugueses de enfermagem sobre doação de sangue / Conocimientos de estudiantes portugueses de Enfermería sobre donación de sangre / Knowledge of Portuguese nursing students about blood donation

Resumo Objetivo Avaliar o nível de conhecimento de estudantes de Enfermagem face à doação de sangue; identificar a importância atribuída às barreiras para a doação de sangue; e, identificar os meios de comunicação digital mais utilizados. Métodos Trata-se de uma pesquisa realizada numa Instituição de Ensino Superior da Região Centro de Portugal no ano letivo de 2018/2019. O estudo é descritivo, de natureza transversal, através de dois questionários ad hoc, preenchido on-line por 165 estudantes de Enfermagem. Resultados Os conhecimentos podem ser considerados de muito baixos (intervalo entre as doações; tempo de espera depois de fazer uma tatuagem ou um piercing; tempo de espera entre a ingestão de ferro; baixos (quantidade de sangue e alimentação prévia), médios (idade e peso mínimo, dador universal) e altos (casos em que o sangue é analisado). Os motivos para não doar sangue que assumiram bastante e muita importância foram "Porque tenho alguma condição física ou médica que me impede doar" e "Porque mantive práticas sexuais de risco". Conclusão A falta de conhecimentos sobre as condições de elegibilidade pode fazer com que uma pessoa considere, de forma errada, que não pode doar sangue. Tendo em conta os resultados obtidos e o acesso aos meios de comunicação digital, sugere-se que sejam implementados programas de e-saúde que promovam o aumento de conhecimentos e a redução de barreiras à doação de sangue.

Resumen Objetivo Evaluar el nivel de conocimiento de estudiantes de Enfermería sobre la donación de sangre, identificar la importancia atribuida a las barreras para la donación de sangre e identificar los medios de comunicación digital más utilizados. Métodos Se trata de un estudio realizado en una Institución de Enseñanza Superior de la región centro de Portugal en el año lectivo 2018/2019. El estudio es descriptivo, de naturaleza transversal, a través de dos cuestionarios ad hoc que fueron completados en línea por 165 estudiantes de Enfermería. Resultados Los conocimientos pueden considerarse muy bajos (intervalo entre las donaciones, tiempo de espera después de hacerse un tatuaje o piercing, tiempo de espera después de la ingesta de hierro); bajos (cantidad de sangre y alimentación previa); medios (edad y peso mínimo, donante universal) y altos (casos en que se analiza la sangre). Los motivos para no donar sangre que tuvieron bastante y mucha importancia fueron "Porque tengo alguna condición física o médica que me impide donar" y "Porque mantuve prácticas sexuales de riesgo". Conclusión La falta de conocimientos sobre las condiciones de elegibilidad puede provocar que una persona considere, de forma equivocada, que no puede donar sangre. Teniendo en cuenta los resultados obtenidos y el acceso a los medios de comunicación, se sugiere implementar programas de eSalud que promuevan el aumento de conocimientos y la reducción de barreras para la donación de sangre.

Abstract Objective To assess the level of knowledge of nursing students regarding blood donation, to identify the importance consider challenges for blood donation, and to determine the most used digital communication channels. Methods This research was performed at University of Central Portugal in 2018/2019. This was a descriptive cross-sectional study. A total of 165 nursing students completed online two ad hoc questionnaires. Results The level of knowledge can be classified as very low (interval between donations, waiting time after getting a tattoo or piercing, waiting time after taking iron supplements), low (amount of blood, eating before donation), medium (age and minimum weight, universal donor) and high (cases in which the blood was analyzed). The reasons for not donating blood that gained considerable and great importance were: "Because I have a physical or medical condition that makes me ineligible to donate" and "Because I had a risky sexual behavior". Conclusion The lack of knowledge about the eligibility requirements can make someone wrongly consider that he or she cannot donate blood. Considering the results obtained and the access to digital communication channels, the implementation of eHealth programs is recommended to promote more knowledge, and to reduce the barriers for blood donation.

La Enfermería escolar: contenidos y percepciones sobre su pertinencia en las escuelas inclusivas / School Nursing: contents and perceptions about its relevance in inclusive schools

Introducción: La Enfermería escolar existe en diversos países del mundo desde hace décadas. En España la presencia de Enfermería en los centros es aislada y no está regulada de manera uniforme. La promoción de la salud y Educación para la Salud juegan un papel clave en la salud actual de los escolares. Objetivo: Determinar el grado de consenso de expertos en salud pública e infantojuvenil sobre aspectos relacionados con la Enfermería escolar para esTablecer los contenidos que se deben desarrollar en la función asistencial y en Educación para la Salud. Materiales y métodos: Estudio prospectivo con enfoque cualitativo (técnica Delphi) en dos rondas con una muestra de 17 expertos. Se elaboró un cuestionario basal online pidiendo opiniones y propuestas sobre la Enfermería escolar. En la segunda ronda se incluyeron los porcentajes de respuesta y propuestas que se sometieron a priorización mediante valoración y consenso de los expertos. Resultados: La mayoría refrendan algún tipo de presencia física de enfermeras en los centros escolares, que contribuiría a mejorar la inclusión educativa y la atención a la diversidad. Se resalta su papel en materia de promoción de la salud y prevención, identificación precoz de enfermedades y atención a la salud mental. Conclusiones: Es preciso tener en cuenta el ámbito escolar como un nuevo y diferenciado entorno de actuación para Enfermería. El personal de Enfermería se convierte en un necesario agente de innovación en salud escolar que cuida de toda la comunidad educativa (escolares, profesorado y familia)

Introduction: The School Nursing service has existed in many countries around the world for decades. In Spain, the presence of Nursing in schools is isolated and not uniformly regulated. The promotion of health and Health Education plays a key role in students' current health. Objective: To determine experts' degree of consensus on public and child and youth health in terms of aspects related to School Nursing, with the aim of establishing the priority contents that should be developed in the care giving function and in Health Education. Materials and methods: A two-round prospective study with a qualitative approach (the Delphi method), based on a sample of 17 experts. An online baseline questionnaire was prepared, asking for opinions and proposals on School Nursing. The second round included the response percentages and proposals subject to prioritization by means of expert assessment and consensus. Results: Most endorse some type of physical presence of nurses in schools, which would contribute to improving educational inclusion and attention to diversity. Its role in the promotion of health and prevention, early identification of diseases, and attention to mental health is pointed out. Conclusions: The school environment should be taken into account as a new and differentiated operating environment for Nursing. Nursing staff becomes a necessary innovation agent in school health, looking after the entire educational community (students, teachers and family)