Bloodwise? Knowledge and attitudes pertaining to HIV and blood donation in Durban

Abstract

Due to high seroprevalence in the province, the blood transfusion service in KwaZulu Natal faces a major challenge in ensuring an adequate and safe supply of blood and blood products. AS part of its efforts to address this challenge, the service commissioned a KAP study of HIV and blood donation in the Durban townships of Ulazi and KwaMashu. This article presents some of the data from this study in an attempt to make them more broadly accessible to other researchers in the field of HIV/AIDS. Its finding is that, despite very sound knowledge about HIV and the risk factors, significant proportions of respondents apparently fail to make a link between high risk behaviours and lack of suitability for blood donations.