Table 3 Medical students’ attitudes towards donation for biobank research

If you were asked, would you donate a sample of your biological material to a biobank for research purposes?

 1. Medical students (MS)

8 (1.9)

36 (8.7)

62 (14.9)

214 (51.4)

96 (23.1)

4 (3–4)

ns

 2. Nursing students (NS)

10 (4.2)

17 (7.1)

44 (18.5)

119 (50)

48 (20.2)

4 (3–4)

 3. Pharmacy students (PS)

2 (0.9)

16 (7.6)

36 (17.1)

124 (58.8)

33 (15.6)

4 (3–4)

What are the reasons for your refusal to donate to biobank?

 Physical distance and the necessity to travel

  MS

14 (3.4)

131 (31.5)

26 (6.3)

192 (46.1)

53 (12.7)

4 (2–4)

ns

  NS

11 (4.6)

86 (36.1)

25 (10.5)

88 (37)

28 (11.8)

3 (2–4)

  PS

4 (1.9)

85 (40.3)

12 (5.7)

84 (39.8)

26 (12.3)

4 (2–4)

 The necessity to repeat examination

  MS

12 (2.9)

185 (44.5)

26 (6.2)

156 (37.5)

37 (8.9)

3 (2–4)

ns

  NS

11 (4.6)

115 (48.3)

15 (6.3)

77 (32.4)

20 (8.4)

2 (2–4)

  PS

10 (4.7)

91 (43.1)

11 (5.2)

78 (37)

21 (10)

3 (2–4)

 Fear over the safety of the data

  MS

30 (7.2)

130 (31.3)

15 (3.6)

132 (31.7)

109 (26.2)

4 (2–5)

ns

  NS

12 (5)

97 (40.8)

6 (2.5)

73 (30.7)

50 (21)

4 (2–4)

  PS

20 (9.5)

63 (29.9)

6 (2.8)

80 (37.9)

42 (19.9)

4 (2–4)

 Fear over unethical use of the sample

  MS

33 (7.9)

111 (26.7)

11 (2.7)

112 (26.9)

149 (35.8)

4 (2–5)

ns

  NS

10 (4.2)

51 (21.4)

6 (2.5)

74 (31.1)

97 (40.8)

4 (2–5)

  PS

13 (6.2)

48 (22.7)

4 (1.9)

65 (30.8)

81 (38.4)

4 (2–5)

 Fear over the invasive nature of the sampling procedure (pain, sight of blood, needles or injections)

  MS

170 (40.9)

170 (40.9)

9 (2.1)

47 (11.3)

20 (4.8)

2 (1–2)

1 vs. 3 p < 0.0001

  NS

90 (37.8)

110 (46.2)

4 (1.7)

25 (10.5)

9 (3.8)

2 (1–2)

2 vs. 3 p < 0.0001

  PS

60 (28.4)

83 (39.3)

5 (2.4)

38 (18)

25 (11.9)

2 (1–4)

 Fear of being infected with HIV

  MS

108 (25.9)

183 (44)

7 (1.7)

57 (13.7)

61 (14.7)

2 (1–4)

1 vs. 2 p < 0.0001

  NS

33 (13.9)

85 (35.7)

11 (4.6)

53 (22.3)

56 (23.5)

3 (2–4)

1 vs. 3 p < 0.001

  PS

39 (18.5)

74 (35.1)

11 (5.2)

37 (17.5)

50 (20.7)

2 (2–4)

 Fear over detection of disease or genetic predispositions

  MS

195 (46.9)

174 (41.8)

16 (3.8)

26 (6.3)

5 (1.2)

2 (1–2)

ns

  NS

115 (48.3)

101 (42.5)

5 (2.1)

15 (6.3)

2 (0.8)

2 (1–2)

  PS

99 (46.9)

86 (40.8)

2 (0.9)

17 (8.1)

7 (3.3)

2 (1–2)

 Fear that the data generated from the research might result in stigmatisation and discrimination

  MS

100 (24)

183 (44)

12 (2.9)

85 (20.4)

36 (8.7)

2 (2–4)

ns

  NS

59 (24.8)

104 (43.7)

11 (4.6)

42 (17.6)

22 (9.3)

2 (2–4)

  PS

48 (22.7)

100 (47.4)

9 (4.3)

31 (14.7)

23 (10.9)

2 (2–4)

 Fear over the commercial use of the samples

  MS

21 (5)

123 (29.6)

21 (5)

153 (36.8)

98 (23.6)

4 (2–4)

ns

  NS

13 (5.5)

60 (25.2)

13 (5.5)

86 (36.1)

66 (27.7)

4 (2–5)

  PS

19 (9)

42 (19.9)

12 (5.7)

88 (41.7)

50 (23.7)

4 (2–4)

 Fear that the government might have access to the samples

  MS

25 (6)

100 (24)

21 (5)

143 (34.4)

127 (30.6)

4 (2–5)

ns

  NS

18 (7.6)

65 (27.3)

19 (8)

70 (29.4)

66 (27.7)

4 (2–5)

  PS

11 (5.2)

54 (25.6)

9 (4.2)

78 (37)

59 (28)

4 (2–5)

 Fear that insurance companies might have the access to the samples

  MS

18 (4.3)

99 (23.8)

21 (5.1)

132 (31.7)

146 (35.1)

4 (2–5)

1 vs. 2p < 0.0001

  NS

20 (8.4)

73 (30.7)

31 (13)

62 (26.1)

52 (21.8)

3 (2–4)

1 vs. 3 p < 0.01

  PS

16 (7.6)

63 (29.9)

18 (8.5)

64 (30.3)

50 (23.7)

4 (2–4)

 Fear that employers might have the access to the samples

  MS

30 (7.2)

110 (26.5)

20 (4.8)

132 (31.7)

124 (29.8)

4 (2–5)

1 vs. 2p < 0.0001

  NS

33 (13.9)

88 (37)

21 (8.8)

50 (21)

46 (19.3)

2 (2–4)

1 vs. 3 p < 0.05

  PS

22 (10.4)

60 (28.4)

20 (9.5)

65 (30.8)

44 (20.9)

4 (2–4)