“Je ne sais pas comment faire”- évaluation des connaissances des immigrants africains éstablish en Australie au sujet du don de sang. [“I don’t know how” - An Exploration of Australian-Based African Migrants’ Knowledge about Blood Donation]

Abstract

This is part of the first study in Australia to explore blood donation among non-Caucasian African migrants and refugees (hereafter African migrants). It is important that their community is engaged in the donation process because African migrants have unique blood phenol-types which need to be sourced from their community to serve their specific blood needs. A qualitative approach was used and results presented here focus on African migrants‘ knowledge about blood donation and how it might determine their donation patterns in Australia. Nine focus group discussions with 88 participants reveal three main themes related to knowledge about blood donation: 1) knowledge about the blood donation process in Australia; 2) the perceived effect of age and length of stay on donation; and 3) strategies on how to encourage African migrants to donate blood in Australia. Each of these will be discussed and suggestions will be made for how these knowledge systems may be modified to increase donation rates from this cohort and future directions for research suggested.