Research Article Health Education and Care Health Edu Care, 2020 doi: 10.15761/HEC.1000178 ISSN: 2398-8517 Volume 5: 1-4 Medical Students’ knowledge, attitude towards hematopoietic stem cell transplantation and donation behaviour at Taif university Rana Zaini 1 * and Abaad Al-Thagafi 2 1 Deanship of Community Service and Sustainable Development, Associate professor in Haematology, College of Applied Medical Sciences, Taif University, Taif, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia 2 Taif University, Taif, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Abstract Introduction: Te most efective therapy for life-threatening blood disorders and bone marrow dysfunction is using hematopoietic stem cell transplant (HSCT). World wide, patients’ waiting lists for HSCT donor are increasing since the number of requirement is bigger than voluntary donors. Te major reason behind inadequate number of donors is lacking of community awareness and low level of knowledge. Tus, this study aimed to assess medical students’ experience in donation, basic knowledge and attitudes regarding HSCT. Method: Tis study was carried out in Medicine College at Taif University. An online questionnaire was created and consisting of 23 questions. Result: showed 41.7% of medical students were not registered in Saudi stem cell donor registry (SSCDR). Only 1.7% of students have donated marrow in the past. However, 19.5% of them were donated blood and/or blood products previously. In this study, students showed low level of basic knowledge regarding donation process. Only 5% of the students were aware of that the registration in the SSCDR is not require providing a blood sample. Positive attitude toward joining donor registry drive and donating with HSC was reported among medical students. Te result showed more than 50% of participants were agree to join registry drive in their area and 60.1% were welcome to donate stem cells during their medical school days for unrelated individual. Majority of students (89%) were willing to donate stem cells to any family member who matched with them and needed bone marrow transplantation. Conclusion: Tis study suggested that increasing awareness level and education is essential for the purpose of improving the medical students information, attitude toward joining SSCDR and donating HSC to save others’ life. *Correspondence to: Rana Ghazi Zaini, Associate Prof. Hematology, Dean, Deanship of Community Service and Sustainable Development, Taif University, Taif, KSA, Tel: +966 (0) 55 55 30937; E-mail: ranazaini2@tu.edu.sa; rana_zy@ hotmail.com Key words: medical students, awareness, attitude, haematopoietic stem cell transplantation Received: July 01, 2020; Accepted: July 06, 2020; Published: July 09, 2020 Introduction Recently, the most efective and curative therapy for life-threatening blood disorders and bone marrow dysfunction is using hematopoietic stem cell transplant (HSCT) [1]. Such of the haematological disorders could be cured with HSCT are; lymphomas, leukaemia, acquired aplastic anaemia, sickle cell disease and thalassemia [2-4]. Since, haematopoietic stem cells function as a lifelong source of blood cells and have the ability to diferentiate and synthesising mature blood cells [5]. Numerous research studies and clinical trials are still performing to evaluate the efcacy of HSCT in diferent therapeutic conditions [6,7]. Tere are two main methods for HSCT; frstly bone marrow transplantation (BMT), and secondly is peripheral blood stem cell transplantation (PBSCT) [6,7]. However, in more than 70% of patients, bone marrow transportation was replaced with peripheral blood stem cell donation, which is simpler and quicker. Several health complications have been found to be associated with haematopoietic stem cell transplantation including high risk of infection, haemorrhage and organ failure. In addition, diferent factors were related to the complications’ severity such as patient’s age, gender, stage of disease and health status [8]. Donor’s age has signifcantly associated with the success of the transplant and younger age and healthy donors having lower risk factors [9]. Te best donor for success transplant is sibling with the fully matched human leukocyte antigen (HLA). However, fnding a healthy-matched donor within the family presented with no more than 30%. According to the result of a study done in 2011, found that 12% of patients were matching with their mothers and 10% were matching with their fathers [10]. Although, the high number of genetic and haematological disorders that require HSCT in Saudi Arabia, there is very limited number of transplant centres [7]. In 2011, Saudi Stem Cell Donor Registry (SSCDR) was established and works to provide stem cells from unrelated donors for both Saudi and non-Saudi patients, who do not have an appropriate donor within their family. It has been reported that, in Saudi Arabia children and adult patients cannot fnd a well- matched family donor with 60% and 30% respectively. In all over the world, patients’ waiting lists for HSCT donor are increasing since the number of requirement is bigger than voluntary donors [11]. It has been reported that the major reason behind inadequate number of HSCT