Table 5 Preferences of health workers among devices evaluated, and reasons given

LOOP 138 (61%)

"Doesn't waste time, easy to collect, transfer, release and manipulate."

"Easy to collect, transfer and deposit with minimal blood exposure risk."

"Doesn't require measurement, a single touch collects and deposits the blood, no squeezing is required."

"I've used it before, and it's simple to use; also time-saving."

"Easily picks the sample; doesn't have sharp edges which could cause fear to the patient."

STRAW-PIPETTE 53 (23%)

"Pick up blood fast and easy to deposit, no worries that it will spill."

"Easy to use and not breakable."

"Accurate, fairly safe, easy to use, easy to release blood."

"Has a mark where sample should end, you apply pressure so you have control of it."

GLASS CAPILLARY 44 (19%)

"Easy to collect and easy to transfer, blood not scattered."

"It draws and releases blood automatically."

"Might waste some time, but doesn't need any manipulation, so very easy."

CALIBRATED PIPETTE 56 (25%)

"Adequate volume, no blood spillage, easy to collect and to deposit."

"Fast, no spills and soft to use, fast in picking up."

"Person is aware of right amount of blood to obtain because it's marked."

"Picks up quickly, no exposure."

INVERTED CUP 163 (72%)

"It is the easiest and it saves time."

"Easy to collect, transfer, deposit with minimal blood exposure risk."

"Faster, very easy to use, no spillage, user friendly and accurate."

"Easy to pick the blood, even depositing it is easy; because it's enclosed in the cup, no risk of getting exposed to the blood."

"Easy to collect, release and doesn't need any technician training."

"Blood remains accommodated in the cup and doesn't splash even on shaking; it's safe."

"No technique is required; no measurements needed."

LOOP 41 (18%)

"Difficult in collecting and transferring, might spill blood during transfer."

"Tendency to be spilled and only small amount of blood is obtained."

"It's challenging to collect the blood from finger."

STRAW-PIPETTE 28 (12%)

"Difficulty in pressure manipulation to collect blood."

"It takes time to suck the blood since it requires much squeezing."

"You may press, as you release, too much blood goes in; difficult to measure blood to the mark."

GLASS CAPILLARY 90 (40%)

"Small and difficult to hold, easily broken."

"It's so automatic that one can't order it to speed up so it does take time."

"Makes picking blood difficult with children because of time duration, and it may break because of brittleness and prick me or my patient."

"So tiny someone with sight problems can find it difficult; you must be careful, it does not give you speed, so you may find your patients lining up."

"It may break injuring the patient or the health worker; it takes time; it may scare children thinking that they may be pricked for the second time."

CALIBRATED PIPETTE 63 (28%)

"Only appropriate for people with good sight and steady hands; may not be appropriate for all health workers."

"It has many risks, it can splash blood, it can release before you reach where you want to put blood."

"There's some difficulty, you need some technique to get the blood to the mark, the right amount; and if you have a kid who is fidgeting, you may lose the pressure and the blood goes."

"It has been hard for me to measure here [to the mark]; when I try to draw to the mark, it goes past; when I try to make the blood go down to the mark, it goes all out fast; so it takes time."

INVERTED CUP 5 (2%)

"Had difficult in collecting blood, small amount goes in."

"Retained the blood samples, I had to bend it if it refused to release blood."