Abstract
Background and Objectives
Education has an essential role in the community awareness that could increase the blood donation tendency and reduce the risk of unsafe blood donation. The present study assessed the role of education and removal of blood donation barriers in increasing blood donation and promoting blood safety among students of Zahedan universities.
 
Materials and Methods
This Descriptive-interventional study was conducted in five universities and high education centers in Zahedan City. At the beginning, the questionnaire was used to identify the main barriers of blood donation among these students. Then we tried to resolve the students' major concerns through education. Finally, the mobile blood collection teams were sent to these universities. The percentage of first-time blood donors and the safety of donated blood units were compared with those of the main blood transfusion center.
 
Results
The main reasons for lack of blood donation among the 2744 students were fear of endangering their health (44.8%) and lack of enough time (26.7%). After the education was provided, 1211 individuals including 1039 (85.8%) men and 172 (14.2%) women donated blood, The number was much higher than that in the main blood transfusion center of Zahedan City (p < 0.01). The number of the first-time donors as well as the rate of blood safety were significantly higher (p < 0.001) among these donors than those in the main blood transfusion center of Zahedan (p < 0.001).
 
Conclusions 
The present study showed that education plays a very important role in increasing blood donation rate and promoting blood safety