Caregivers’ and healthcare providers’ perceptions of blood availability, safety, and acceptability for patients with cancer in southwestern Uganda
9 affiliations
- 1Faculty of Medicine, Mbarara University of Science and Technology, Mbarara, Uganda
- 2Institute of Allied Health Sciences, Clarke International University, Kampala, Uganda
- 3Uganda Cancer Institute, Kampala, Uganda
- 4Infectious Diseases Research Collaboration, Kampala, Uganda
- 5African Population and Health Research Center, Nairobi, Kenya
- 6Department of Medicine, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Alberta, Canada
- 7Snyder Institute for Chronic Diseases, University of Calgary, Alberta, Canada
- 8Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Infectious Diseases, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Alberta, Canada
- 9Department of Pediatrics, University of Montreal, Quebec, Canada
Abstract
Blood transfusion is crucial in supporting the treatment of patients with cancer. However, in poor-resource settings, blood and blood components remain scarce, and their perceived health risks may hinder their use. This study explored the perceptions of blood availability, safety, and acceptability among caregivers and healthcare providers of patients with cancer at Mbarara Regional Referral Hospital in southwestern Uganda. This study employed a qualitative design involving in-depth interviews and key informant interviews with caregivers of patients with cancer and healthcare providers, between September and December 2024. The interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed, translated, and analyzed using thematic content analysis. Of the 30 participants enrolled, 16 were caregivers of patients with cancer (mean age: 36; standard deviation, SD: 10.65 years) and 14 were healthcare providers (mean: 6.5; SD: 5.77 years of practice). Blood availability relied mostly on volunteer donors in educational institutions, and blood shortages were common during school recesses. Other highlighted additional constraints included donor complacency, limited availability of some blood groups, and disruptions during disease outbreaks. While most caregivers trusted that transfused blood was safe, some expressed concerns regarding adverse events and infection risks. Caregivers highly accepted blood transfusion as a life-saving intervention, but concerns relating it to end-of-life care, as well as cultural and religious beliefs were documented, and these were reported to influence transfusion acceptance. These findings reveal persistent blood shortages, with transfusion acceptance influenced by system-level and sociocultural constraints. Since patients with cancer require frequent transfusions, addressing challenges of blood supply and transfusion uptake through coordinated interventions is essential to support cancer care.
Related
- Caregivers’ perceptions of routine immunisation service performance across availability, accessibility, quality, responsiveness and satisfaction in Adamawa State, Nigeria: A mixed-methods study
- Feasibility and acceptability of a randomized controlled trial of a patient-centred transition program for stroke survivors and their caregivers—P-NAVISTROKE study
- Interrupting prolonged sitting in classrooms for healthcare students: classroom movement breaks acceptability and perceived benefits
- Examining the anticipated uptake and acceptability of heat therapy in males: Expectations and perceptions before and after hot water immersion
- Healthcare workers and caregivers’ perspectives on access to cancer screening for people with intellectual disabilities as revealed by system dynamics and group model building
BibTeX
@article{taremwa2026caregivers,
title = {{Caregivers’ and healthcare providers’ perceptions of blood availability, safety, and acceptability for patients with cancer in southwestern Uganda}},
author = {Ivan Mugisha Taremwa and Nixon Niyonzima and Scholastic Ashaba and Cecilia Akatukwasa and Elizabeth Kemigisha and Deusdedit Tusubira and Carlrona Ayebazibwe and Shiller Atuhaire and May Y. Choi and Guido van Marle and Hume A. Heather and Bernard Natukunda},
journal = {PLOS Global Public Health},
year = {2026},
month = sep,
doi = {10.1371/journal.pgph.0007203},
url = {https://journals.plos.org/globalpublichealth/article?id=10.1371/journal.pgph.0007203},
note = {CC BY 4.0},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Caregivers’ and healthcare providers’ perceptions of blood availability, safety, and acceptability for patients with cancer in southwestern Uganda
AU - Ivan Mugisha Taremwa
AU - Nixon Niyonzima
AU - Scholastic Ashaba
AU - Cecilia Akatukwasa
AU - Elizabeth Kemigisha
AU - Deusdedit Tusubira
AU - Carlrona Ayebazibwe
AU - Shiller Atuhaire
AU - May Y. Choi
AU - Guido van Marle
AU - Hume A. Heather
AU - Bernard Natukunda
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/09/11
JO - PLOS Global Public Health
DO - 10.1371/journal.pgph.0007203
UR - https://journals.plos.org/globalpublichealth/article?id=10.1371/journal.pgph.0007203
AB - Blood transfusion is crucial in supporting the treatment of patients with cancer. However, in poor-resource settings, blood and blood components remain scarce, and their perceived health risks may hinder their use. This study explored the perceptions of blood availability, safety, and acceptability among caregivers and healthcare providers of patients with cancer at Mbarara Regional Referral Hospital in southwestern Uganda. This study employed a qualitative design involving in-depth interviews and key informant interviews with caregivers of patients with cancer and healthcare providers, between September and December 2024. The interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed, translated, and analyzed using thematic content analysis. Of the 30 participants enrolled, 16 were caregivers of patients with cancer (mean age: 36; standard deviation, SD: 10.65 years) and 14 were healthcare providers (mean: 6.5; SD: 5.77 years of practice). Blood availability relied mostly on volunteer donors in educational institutions, and blood shortages were common during school recesses. Other highlighted additional constraints included donor complacency, limited availability of some blood groups, and disruptions during disease outbreaks. While most caregivers trusted that transfused blood was safe, some expressed concerns regarding adverse events and infection risks. Caregivers highly accepted blood transfusion as a life-saving intervention, but concerns relating it to end-of-life care, as well as cultural and religious beliefs were documented, and these were reported to influence transfusion acceptance. These findings reveal persistent blood shortages, with transfusion acceptance influenced by system-level and sociocultural constraints. Since patients with cancer require frequent transfusions, addressing challenges of blood supply and transfusion uptake through coordinated interventions is essential to support cancer care.
SN - 2767-3375
ER -