The role of altruistic behavior, empathetic concern, and social responsibility motivation in blood donation behavior

BACKGROUND: Blood donation can be described as a prosocial behavior, and donors often cite prosocial reasons such as altruism, empathy, or social responsibility for their willingness to donate. Previous studies have not quantitatively evaluated these characteristics in donors or examined how they relate to donation frequency.
STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: As part of a donor motivation study, 12,064 current and lapsed donors answered questions used to create an altruistic behavior, empathetic concern, and social responsibility motivation score for each donor. Analysis of variance was used to compare mean scores by demographics and donor status and to determine the influence of each variable on the mean number of donations in the past 5 years.
RESULTS: The mean score for each prosocial characteristic appeared high, with lower scores in male and younger donors. Higher altruistic behavior and social responsibility motivation scores were associated with increased past donation frequency, but the effects were minor. Empathetic concern was not associated with prior donation. The largest differences in prior donations were by age and donor status, with older and current donors having given more frequently.
CONCLUSION: Most blood donors appear to have high levels of the primary prosocial characteristics (altruism, empathy, and social responsibility) commonly thought to be the main motivators for donation, but these factors do not appear to be the ones most strongly related to donation frequency. Traditional donor appeals based on these characteristics may need to be supplemented by approaches that address practical concerns like convenience, community safety, or personal benefit.     

佛山市民献血动机及献血行为影响因素调查分析

目的了解佛山市民献血动机及献血行为的主要影响因素,针对性制定招募策略。方法采取分层整群抽样法,抽取佛山市583例非献血者和554例献血者分别进行无偿献血影响因素的问卷调查。采用χ~2检验与Logistic回归等方法进行分析。结果献血人群特征为男性较多,年龄20~30岁,高中/中专学历,月收入1 000~3 000元;献血的主要动机是"奉献爱心和社会责任";献血行为受"奉献爱心和社会责任""给多次献血者颁发证书和勋章""害怕献血会感染疾病和影响健康""怕痛""献血地点交通不方便"等因素影响。结论激励措施、阻碍措施、心理因素、献血服务等因素都会影响市民献血,应针对不同人群,制订不同的招募策略。     

Promoting blood donation: a study of the social profile,attitudes, motivation and experience of donors*

Summary. This study investigated how to improve the recruitment of blood donors, their retention as active donors and their response to call-up. A total sample of 9,000 non-donors, lapsed donors and current donors was examined in three programmes to determine the sex, age and social profile of donors; the attitudes of the population to blood donation; the motivating forces prompting people to give blood; the de-motivating forces preventing them; the image of the blood donor in society and the image of the National Blood Transfusion Service (NBTS). The profile of blood donors, with small variations, reflects that of the population. The experience of blood donation is widespread with 27% of the population either current or lapsed donors. The image of both blood donors and the NBTS was found to be very positive. The main force motivating donors is an awareness of patient need complemented by awareness that the need may one-day be personal. NBTS strategy will concentrate on reinforcing the need for blood donors and enhancing the experience of donors at blood donor sessions.     

Theory of planned behavior, self-care motivation, and blood pressure self-care

The theory of planned behavior (TPB) was integrated within the theory of self-care (SCT) to explore the predictive value of extending TPB to measure attitudes and beliefs regarding a behavioral goal, and determine the ability of goal beliefs to predict engagement in the combined, multiple behaviors necessary to control BP. The hypothesized model was evaluated in a sample of 306 community-dwelling African Americans between 21 and 65 years of age. Scales developed for the study achieved acceptable reliability (alpha = .68-.95). Structural equation modeling analysis resulted in a second-order factor structure with attitude, subjective norm, perceived behavioral control, and intention modeled as indicators of a construct representing goal beliefs related to keeping BP within normal limits. This latent construct was conceptualized within the theory of self-care as "self-care motivation," and predicted 18% of the variance in self-care behaviors necessary for BP control. The model achieved acceptable fit (CMIN/df = 2.32; CFI = .95; RMSEA = .066). Final assessment of fit was done using multi-group SEM and bootstrapping techniques. In this extension of the TPB attitudes and beliefs regarding the goal of keeping BP within normal limits were found to determine one's motivation to engage in the multiple behaviors necessary for BP control.     

浅析公民献血动机及低危献血者的招募策略

在无偿献血制度下，不同献血人群有着各种不同的献血动机或心态，分析并掌握其真实想法，有针对性地制定招募策略，将有利于无偿献血工作的顺利开展，有利于建立一支低危、固定的无偿献血队伍。笔者结合近年WHO全球艾滋病项目组(WHO／GPA)关于《安全血液和血液制品》远程教学的培训，与市献血办共同对本市参加无偿献血活动公民的献血动机进行简要分析，并提出相关对策。     

北京市城区公众无偿献血认知-态度-行为调查

目的调查北京市城区公众无偿献血认知-态度-行为。方法应用自设问卷,对995名公众进行问卷调查,内容涉及一般资料、无偿献血知识、动机、行为等。结果公众无偿献血知识总知晓率偏低(34.7%),有献血经历者知晓率(60.7%)高于无献血经历者(13.6%)。奉献爱心以及自己和家人享受用血优惠政策是公众无偿献血的主要动机;有献血经历者不愿意献血的原因主要是献血不方便、献血出现不适、工作人员态度或技术差,而无献血经历者则主要怕传染疾病、影响身体健康。公众认为媒体宣传(92%)、举办大型讲座(55.8%)、血站自己宣传(51.8%)更能引人关注。结论公众对无偿献血的认知-态度-行为有待提高。应广泛深入地开展无偿献血宣传工作,提高血站服务水平,以使无偿献血工作全面良性发展。     

The potential impact of incentives on future blood donation behavior

BACKGROUND: It is important to assess the potential efficacy and safety of offering donation incentives as part of recruitment and retention programs. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: In 1995, 7489 allogeneic donors responded to an anonymous mail survey that inquired about demographics, donation history, infectious disease risks, and the potential appeal of incentives. RESULTS: The projected net effect of offering blood credits and medical testing would be to motivate, respectively, 58 percent and 46 percent of donors to return, whereas offering an item of limited value would motivate 20 percent to do so. First-time and younger donors reported more frequently than repeat or older donors that incentives would appeal to them. Donors attracted by cash were 60 percent more likely to have a risk for transfusion-transmissible infections (p = 0.03). Although not statistically significant, the odds of being an at-risk donor were higher among individuals attracted by tickets to events (OR 1.5) and extra time off work (OR 1.2). CONCLUSION: These findings suggest that offering blood credits and (though to a lesser extent) items of limited value could be safe and effective strategies for retaining donors. Although medical tests were found to have broad appeal, studies are needed to identify tests in which donors would be most interested.     

Remuneration for blood donation and attitudes towards blood donation and receipt in Leeds

In a survey of attitudes towards remuneration for blood donation in Leeds, the following questions were completed by 489 adults (N), of whom 89 were regular donors, 105 were lapsed donors and 295 had never donated: 'If you needed blood, would you be content if the donor had been paid: yes/no'. 'If I were paid enough I would be less/equally/more likely to donate blood '. The majority (67.7%) of potential recipients would be content if the donor had been paid. The prospect of remuneration made 16.4% of respondents more likely and 14.5% less likely to donate. As the difference is less than 2% of N, offering remuneration may not lead to a significant increase in the number of donations. A statistical comparison (chi2 = 45, d.f. = 2, P < 0.001) showed associations between the responses 'more likely to donate if paid' and 'content to receive blood from a paid donor', and between the responses 'less likely to donate if paid' and 'not content to receive blood from a paid donor'. Age distributions are presented for the donor status categories and the responses to the main questions. Of 129 people who stated a minimum, nonzero payment that would persuade them to donate, 103 (80%) suggested pound sterling 10 or less.     

Phlebotomy, blood donation, and hereditary hemochromatosis

Permitting the use of blood from HH patients without a disease-state labeling has been a controversial topic. Another issue has been the safety of HH blood. If otherwise qualified to be a blood donor in the US, HH patients will be allowed to make contributions to the blood supply if they donate at a collection facility that has been granted an exemption to their FDA license. The amount of additional blood made available by using HH patient/donors is uncertain. Gathering data from HH patients/donors regarding management, safety, and augmentation of supply is essential in assessing the success of recent changes.     

Predicting blood donation intentions and behavior among Australian blood donors: testing an extended theory of planned behavior model

BACKGROUND: Donor retention poses a significant problem to blood collection agencies around the world. Previous research using an augmented theory of planned behavior (TPB) approach has demonstrated that attitude, subjective norm, self-efficacy, moral norm, anticipated regret, donation anxiety from prior blood donations, and self-identity as a blood donor predicts experienced donors' intentions and that intentions, self-efficacy, moral norm, and anticipated regret may impact upon people's actual blood donation behavior.
STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: Established blood donors (n = 263) completed questionnaires assessing standard TPB constructs, anticipated regret, moral norm, donation anxiety, and self-identity as a blood donor. Three months later, a second questionnaire assessing blood donation behavior in the intervening 3 months was mailed and returned by 182 donors.
RESULTS: With structural equation modeling, the final augmented TPB model provided an excellent fit to the data and included a direct path from intention to behavior and indirect paths to behavior through intention for attitude, self-efficacy, and anticipated regret. Moral norm, donation anxiety, and donor identity indirectly predicted intention through attitude. In total, 51 percent of the variance in donors' attitudes, 86 percent of variance in donors' intentions, and 70 percent of the variance in donors' behavior were accounted for in the final model.
CONCLUSION: An augmented TPB framework proved efficacious in determining the predictors of the intentions and behavior of established blood donors. Further, this framework highlighted the importance of considering in the future how donors' motivations for donating blood may evolve as a function of the number of prior donations.     

少数民族居住地居民无偿献血认知和行为的调查

目的了解桂林市居民对无偿献血的认识情况,探索相应的宣传模式,促进无偿献血工作可持续发展。方法自行设计调查问卷,对1 627名桂林市不同民族居民进行无偿献血相关知识和行为的调查。结果总体上献血者对无偿献血的认知程度高于未献血者,对无偿献血的认知情况,市区与县级居民之间差异具有显著的统计学意义(P0.01);不同民族的居民对无偿献血的认知程度在总体上差异无统计学意义;献血顾虑的前3项分别是比较忙、怕痛和担心献血会传染疾病,献爱心占了献血动机的68%。结论应继续加大无偿献血宣传教育力度,壮大桂林市无偿献血队伍,促进无偿献血健康持续发展。     

影响自愿无偿献血行为的相关因素分析

目的 研究无偿献血行为的影响因素,推进无偿献血工作。方法 应用自编的问卷对随机抽取的324名无偿献血者进行调查和分析。结果 收入、文化程度、年龄、职业以及对献血知识的了解程度均影响无偿献血行为。结论 普及献血知识、加强政策支持是提高公民自愿无偿献血意识的基础。