title: Behavior disparities towards blood donation in Sikkim, India.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The aim of the current research was to determine disparities in blood donation motives among the general mass of Sikkim.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To identify the reasons for people donating and not donating blood voluntarily.
  
  
  METHODS
  Population based cross-sectional study in Gangtok, East Sikkim.
  
  
  METHODS
  
  
  
  METHODS
  300 adults by two-stage cluster sampling technique.
  
  
  METHODS
  None.
  
  
  METHODS
  Correlates of attitudes towards blood donation. DATA COLLECTION PROCEDURE: The data collection tool used for the study was a pre-tested structured interview schedule by which the principal investigator collected the data using interview technique.
  
  
  METHODS
  Percentages and ODDS ratio were used in this study.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Out of 300 respondents, overwhelming majority (78.7%) of the respondents in the present study felt that people donate blood to save a friend or a relative. On the contrary, minority respondents (46%) were ready to donate blood voluntarily. Only 12.7% of the respondents had ever donated blood while 87.3% had never donated. Among ever donors, gender wise men donors were found to be more; 89% were married, half were from the 30 to 39 years age group. As the per-capita income or level of education increased, so did the percent of blood donors.
authors.affiliation: Programme Officer, IDD cell, Govt. of Sikkim, India.
authors.forename: Namgay
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Shenga
authors.forename: Ranabir
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Pal
authors.forename: Subhabrata
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sengupta