Attitudes towards Biobank Donation Among University Community

Abstract

Worldwide significant efforts are invested in building biobanks—specialized facilities for storing biological materials for research and medical purposes. The successful functioning of biobanks depends directly on people’s willingness to donate their biological materials. Fragmentary empirical studies of people’s attitudes toward donations to biobanks have been undertaken in Russia. The goal of this study was to measure at titudes toward biobank donation among Russians population and to evaluate potential sociopsychological factors that play a role in a person’s readiness to become a donor. Data from 542 students and 254 scientific staff at St. Petersburg State University were collected from group-administered paper-and-pencil and online surveys respectively. Both students (74%) and scientific staff (52%) indicated a relatively high level of readiness to become biobank donors. Regression analysis showed that refusal to be a biobahk donor was correlated significantly with being university scientific staff vs. students, no previous awareness about biobank, need for relative’s or friend’s opinion before decision making, presence of payment for donation and type of requested biological material.