The National Blood Resource Education Program (NBREP) will be conducting a survey of physicians' attitudes, knowledge, and practices related to autologous and homologous blood donation and transfusion, and patient education activities. The NBREP was launched by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute in 1987. The program was established to: -ensure an adequate supply of safe blood and blood components to meet the Nation's needs; and -ensure that blood and blood components are transfused only when therapeutically appropriate. To accomplish these broad program goals, the NBREP is working with many intermediaries including major medical associations, voluntary health organizations, and community programs to educate health professionals and the public. By addressing the need for an adequate supply of safe blood components by health providers, the NBREP will enhance the quality and the quantity of the Nation's blood supply. Little information is available about the knowledge, attitudes, and practices of physicians with regard to blood transfusions. There have been many recent advances in the area of transfusion medicine. Although some improvements in physicians' awareness of the appropriate use of blood and blood components have been reported, there remains a lack of national data about physicians' knowledge, attitudes, and practices. In addition, limited data indicate a continue increased use of blood and blood components. The information gathered from the proposed survey will help the NBREP in both program planning for professional education activities as well as in program evaluation.
