Abstract
Background
Menstrual blood-derived stem cell banking is an emerging and innovative field in regenerative medicine. Despite its potential, awareness, attitudes, and perceived barriers related to this practice remain insufficiently explored, particularly in developing countries like India.
Aim
This study aims to assess the knowledge, attitudes, and perceived barriers concerning menstrual blood-derived stem cells among healthcare professionals.
Methods
A cross-sectional survey using Google Forms was conducted among 334 healthcare professionals from a tertiary care teaching institution in Uttarakhand. Data were collected using a semi-structured, validated questionnaire. Descriptive and inferential statistics were applied to analyze sociodemographic characteristics, knowledge, attitudes, and perceived barriers.
Results
The study revealed that the majority of participants (78.4%) demonstrated poor knowledge of menstrual blood-derived stem cells, while 21.3% had average knowledge. The attitude was predominantly neutral (97.9%), with only 0.9% of participants expressing a positive attitude. Partial barriers were reported by 86.5% of participants, primarily due to personal factors, including inconvenience (61.7%) and limited knowledge (50%). Acceptability-related barriers included inadequate facilities (54.2%) and safety concerns (42.2%). No statistically significant association was observed between demographic variables and levels of knowledge or perceived barriers.
Conclusion
Although most healthcare professionals demonstrated poor knowledge of menstrual blood-derived stem cell banking, their attitude remained predominantly neutral. Significant barriers were identified, particularly related to accessibility, limited awareness, and infrastructure inadequacies. These findings underscore the need for educational initiatives and improved infrastructure to promote menstrual blood-derived stem cell banking.
Keywords
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