To study the prevalence of Blood group antigens in tribal populations of coastal Karnataka: an observational study

Blood group antigens play an important role in compatibility testing, yet data on their prevalence among Indian Tribal communities is limited. This study seeks to establish ABO, Rh, Kell, Duffy, Kidd, Lewis, MNSs antigen prevalence in Koraga tribe and compare it to established data among non-tribal populations of Coastal Karnataka. This study also seeks to assess the knowledge, attitude and practice towards blood donations to identify gaps in awareness, trends in attitude and thus help inform tailored education and awareness strategies. Study will be conducted under the guidance of Centre of Indigenous Population, after obtaining permission from appropriate authorities. Adults from tribal hamlets will be enrolled during health camps after obtaining informed consent relevant to vulnerable populations in accordance with the guidelines laid down in the Declaration of Helsinki. Structured and validated KAP questionnaire will be used to collect data before and after providing education regarding blood donation. EDTA Blood samples collected will be tested with commercially available antisera against Blood group antigens. Data compilation will be done in Microsoft Excel and Analysis via SPSS. Study Findings will help determine the suitability of non-tribal donor pools for meeting the tribe’s transfusion needs, support rare donor registry contributions, and improve transfusion safety through education and extended antigen phenotyping. Improved knowledge and positive attitude shifts toward blood donation may foster sustainable engagement with transfusion services and contribute to better healthcare outcomes in this vulnerable community.