Health Care Professionals? Knowledge and Attitudes Regarding Umbilical Cord Blood Banking in Saudi Arabia
Author(s): Raghad Bandar Alharbi, Khalid Talal Aboalshamat*, Muneera Abdullah Qattan, Rsal Rabea Alrefaei, Renad Turki Alhazmi, Roudin Hussain Alhasawi, Raghad Obaidallah Al-Masoudi, Aseel Muneer Alahmadi, Abrar Ahmed Alghamdi and Ashjan Yousef Bamahfouz
Abstract
Background: Umbilical cord blood banking (UCB) serves as a backup source for maintaining human health. The aim of this study was to assess the knowledge and attitudes about UCB banking among health professionals in Saudi Arabia. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted from July to September 2021. The sample consisted of 384 multidisciplinary health care professionals and students (medicine, dentistry, pharmacy, nursing, and medical sciences) from different cities across Saudi Arabia, using an online self-administered questionnaire. Results: A total of 58% had not heard of UCB banking, and 60% did not know what UCB banking is. Specialists/consultants had significantly (p>0.001) higher scores than students, interns, and general practitioners. The major sources of information about UCB banking were medical personnel (21.88%) and social media (20.83%). In terms of cord blood storage, the majority used public blood banks (41.15%), with the remainder (32.29%) using private (32.29%) banks. A total of 68.23% had agreed to donate their cord blood for research purposes, and 85.16% believed a decision about cord blood donation should be shared between the parents. Conclusion: Most health practitioners in Saudi Arabia had not heard about, or had poor knowledge of, UBC banking. The main sources of information about UBC banking were medical personnel and social media, and most participants had good attitudes toward UBC banks. It is recommended that health practitioners’ knowledge about UCB baking and current therapeutic options be boosted because they are the primary trusted source of public health information.