Why engineering students support blood donation but rarely give blood: findings from Nepal

What is it about?

Many young adults support blood donation, yet blood supplies in Nepal remain insufficient. We surveyed 191 first-year engineering students at Pulchowk Engineering Campus to understand what they know, how they feel, and whether they actually give blood. The results show that while most students hold strongly positive attitudes toward blood donation, only 17% had ever donated; common barriers were “no specific reason” and “lack of opportunity.” Older students and men were more likely to have donated, whereas female students scored higher on knowledge tests but donated less in practice — a “knowledge–practice gap.” Our findings suggest campus-level solutions such as regular on-site donation drives, peer advocacy clubs, and symbolic recognition (non-monetary incentives) to convert strong willingness into action. Key takeaways (3 bullets) Strong support, low practice: 97% of students reported positive attitudes, but only 16.8% had donated blood. Main barriers were opportunity and uncertainty: 34.6% said lack of opportunity and 42.8% gave “no specific reason.” Practical fix: regular on-campus blood drives and student-led mobilization could rapidly increase donations from this willing population.

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Photo by Carlos Magno on Unsplash

Photo by Carlos Magno on Unsplash

Why is it important?

Improving on-campus donation opportunities could quickly expand Nepal’s voluntary donor pool and reduce shortages that delay emergency treatment. Targeted, low-cost actions (campus drives, peer organizers, and light recognition) are likely to be effective given the high existing willingness.

Perspectives