Methods: A cross-sectional study was used. Totally, 427 samples of dissimilar Thai-Muslim healthy blood donors living in three southern border provinces were selected via simple random sampling (aged 17-65 years old) and donors found to be positive for infectious markers were excluded. All samples were analysed for JK*A and JK*B alleles using PCR-SSP. The Pearson's chi-squared and Fisher exact tests were used to compare the JK frequencies among southern Thai-Muslim with those among other populations previously reported.
Results: A total of 427 donors-315 males and 112 females, with a median age of 29 years (interquartile range: 18 years)-were analysed. A JK*A/JK*B genotype was the most common, and the JK*A and JK*B allele frequencies among the southern Thai-Muslims were 55.2% and 44.8%, respectively. Their frequencies significantly differed from those of the central Thai, Korean, Japanese, Brazilian-Japanese, Chinese, Filipino, Africans and American Natives populations (P < 0.05). Predicted JK phenotypes were compared with different groups of Malaysians. The Jk(a+b+) phenotype frequency among southern Thai-Muslims was significantly higher than that of Malaysian Malays and Indians (P < 0.05).
Conclusions: The JK*A and JK*B allele frequencies in a southern Thai-Muslim population were determined, which can be applied not only to solve problems in transfusion medicine but also to provide tools for genetic anthropology and population studies.
METHODS: Data were collected via a self-administered questionnaire from a sample of 500 students at a public higher learning institution in Malaysia. Structural equation modelling approach (SEM) was performed to assess the strength of the hypothesized relationships of the proposed model simultaneously via the two-stage model-building process.
RESULTS: The SEM approach revealed that knowledge was the most influential predictor of students' intention to make a voluntary blood donation. With the knowledge that the more blood they donate, the more lives will be saved, the inclination to donate blood is intensifying among students. Moreover, all of the TPB constructs applied were also seen to significantly influence students' response to voluntary blood donation.
CONCLUSIONS: The nexus of attitude, subjective norm, perceived behavioural control, and knowledge about students' intention to perform voluntary blood donation are evidenced in a developing nation. The implications of the study and directions for future research are provided.