The public’s risk perception of blood transfusion in Saudi Arabia

Figures & data

Table 1 Study sample’s characteristics

Variables	Frequency n (%) 312 (100.0)
Gender
Male	101 (32.4)
Female	211 (67.6)
Age category (years)
<30	152 (48.7)
≥30	160 (51.3)
Mean ± SD	32.5±10.7
Education level
School	154 (49.4)
University	158 (50.6)
Received blood
No	288 (92.3)
Yes	24 (7.7)
Donated blood
No	228 (73.1)
Yes	84 (26.9)

Note: n, frequency.

Table 2 Frequency distribution of responses to the 10-item risk statements

	Blood transfusion risk score n (%)								Percentage mean score x ± SD
Scale	1	2	3	4	5	6	7
1	How risky is receiving a blood transfusion?
Not risky	27 (8.7)	16 (5.1)	33 (10.6)	67 (21.5)	68 (21.8)	41 (13.1)	60 (19.2)	Extremely risky	59.8±29.9
2	If you were to receive a blood transfusion, how worried would you be about the risk?
Not worried	24 (7.7)	33 (10.6)	55 (17.6)	71 (22.8)	46 (14.7)	19 (6.1)	64 (20.5)	Extremely worried	54.4±31.0
3	Is this a risk that you dread, on a gut level?
Not dreaded	35 (11.2)	34 (10.9)	55 (17.6)	65 (20.8)	38 (12.2)	23 (7.4)	62 (19.9)	Extremely dreaded	52.2±32.6
4	To what degree does blood transfusion provide important benefits?
Little or no benefit	11 (3.5)	8 (2.6)	17 (5.4)	49 (15.7)	54 (17.3)	50 (16.0)	123 (39.4)	Important benefits	74.4±27.4
5	To what extent are the risks of blood transfusion known to people who received blood transfusion?
Risks not known	19 (6.1)	16 (5.1)	58 (18.6)	102 (32.7)	57 (18.3)	17 (5.4)	43 (13.8)	Risks well known	53.9±26.5
6	To what extent are the risks of blood transfusion understood by scientists?
Risks not understood	7 (2.2)	6 (1.9)	16 (5.1)	30 (9.6)	44 (14.1)	64 (20.5)	145 (46.5)	Risks understood	79.8±25.2
7	If a blood transfusion leads to illness or disease, how likely are the consequences to be fatal?
Will not be fatal	14 (4.5)	8 (2.6)	32 (10.3)	77 (24.7)	69 (22.1)	43 (13.8)	69 (22.1)	Certain to be fatal	64.5±27.0
8	To what extent is receiving a blood transfusion voluntary?
Involuntary	35 (11.2)	21 (6.7)	38 (12.2)	83 (26.6)	61 (19.6)	21 (6.7)	53 (17.0)	Voluntary	54.1 ±30.5
9	How much control does an average person have over the risk?
No control at all	43 (13.8)	25 (8.0)	62 (19.9)	102 (32.7)	34 (10.9)	17 (5.4)	29 (9.3)	Complete control	45.4±28.2
10	To what extent are future generations threatened by this risk?
Not threatened	25 (8.0)	14 (4.5)	45 (14.4)	88 (28.2)	67 (21.5)	27 (8.7)	46 (14.7)	Seriously threatened	55.9±28.0

Table 3 The perceived risks of blood transfusion domains across the sample characteristics

Items	Dread and severity, x ± SD	Knowledge and control, x ± SD	Benefit, x ± SD	Overall, x ± SD
	57.8±24.3	58.3±18.2	74.4±27.4	59.8±16.1
Gender
Male	61.9±30.0	57.5±22.8	77.2±31.2	61.0±20.6
Female	55.8±21.0	58.7±15.5	73.1±25.4	58.7±13.4
	t=1.84, p=0.068	t=−0.47, p=0.638	z=−2.42, p=0.015*	t=1.005, p=0.316
Age category (years)
<30	54.1±22.7	56.2±15.2	75.3±25.6	57.5±12.9
≥30	61.6±25.5	60.5±20.6	73.5±29.2	61.5±18.6
	t=−2.71, p=0.007*	t=−2.100, p=0.037*	z=−0.10, p=0.919	t=−2.20, p=0.028*
Education level
School	55.9±22.9	57.8±18.2	73.9±27.8	58.4±15.4
University	59.6±25.6	58.8±18.2	74.9±27.0	60.5±16.7
	t=−1.35, p=0.177	t=−0.52, p=0.604	z=−0.27, p=0.784	t=−1.16, p=0.245
Received blood
Yes	58.7±29.9	56.4±20.9	63.9±36.7	57.2±20.8
No	57.7±23.9	58.5±17.9	75.3±26.4	59.6±15.6
	t=0.19, p=0.847	t=−0.53, p=0.598	z=−1.26, p=0.209	t=−0.71, p=0.479
Donated blood
Yes	57.3±28.6	57.3±22.5	76.0±31.1	58.6±19.9
No	57.9±22.6	58.7±16.3	73.8±25.9	59.8±14.5
	t=−0.165, p=0.869	t=−0.493, p=0.623	z=−1.49, p=0.135	t=−0.524, p=0.601

Note: Student’s t-test.

* Statistically significant at p<0.05.

Table 4 Factors associated with the perceived risks of blood transfusion

Exposures	Dread and severity	Knowledge and control	Benefit	Total
Outcomes	Beta (t) p-value	Beta (t) p-value	Beta (t) p-value	Beta (t) p-value
Gender	−0.23 (−2.96)	0.03 (0.35)	−0.13 (−1.64)	−0.17 (−2.20)
Female vs. Male	p=0.003*	p=0.726	p=0.103	p=0.028*
Age (years)	−0.09 (−1.60)	−0.10 (−1.71)	0.12 (2.05)	−0.06 (−0.97)
	p=0.110	p=0.088	p=0.041*	p=0.331
Education	0.08 (1.53)	0.01 (0.19)	0.06 (0.97)	0.08 (1.38)
University vs. School	p=0.127	p=0.852	p=0.333	p=0.168
Received blood	−0.002 (−0.04)	−0.03 (−0.46)	−0.13 (−2.19)	−0.05 (−0.82)
Yes vs. No	p=0.972	p=0.644	p=0.029*	p=0.415
Donated blood	−0.18 (−2.39)	−0.03 (−3.42)	−0.01 (−0.15)	−0.15 (2.01)
Yes vs. No	p=0.017*	p=0.732	p=0.882	p=0.045*

Notes: Student’s t-test.

* Statistically significant at p<0.05; Beta, coefficient of determination.