Mine Golden Veins for Blood Donations

Not long after my newborn son arrived home decades ago, I received from the hospital a solicitation to donate blood. Before calling to set an appointment, I asked my wife if she wanted to join me. She promptly announced, “I give birth. You give blood.”
     As it happens, that policy, which has lasted throughout our marriage, also appears in a report of studies at Universität Hamburg. Women who give birth are less likely to donate blood than are women who have not given birth. There are other intriguing findings as well. Completing the educational goals one has set for oneself appears to increase the probability of giving blood. Having one’s mother die decreases the likelihood.
     Before striving to answer why these sorts of factors count, the researchers explored prior studies. Their objective was identification of techniques blood banks can mine to persuade more people to donate and to increase the frequency of giving. Consistent with World Health Organization policies, the techniques should not require monetary incentives.
     News of natural catastrophes and mass killings serve as broad-based motivators, but only for a short time. Holding out the prospect of peer praise works better than does appealing to altruism. Information about the collection process can ease the fears about fainting and bruises which discourage donating.
     Social marketing campaigns arousing fear or guilt have proven effective at increasing willingness to donate blood. The German Red Cross had success with the tag line, “97% of us rely on the other 3% to donate blood.” But this works only if the prospective donors believe their contribution will make a noticeable difference. It’s a matter of self-confidence.
     The Universität Hamburg researchers found that self-confidence drops in early years of parenthood and after the death of a close relative. Self-confidence increases upon accomplishment of a challenging objective. This explains the motherhood and educational achievement findings.
     Although about 40% of us meet criteria for donating blood, fewer than 10% donate. Because individual life events influence blood donation decisions, use targeted social marketing to supplement broad-based appeals. The targeted messages should build self-confidence in relation to the situation which has eroded it. “Now that you’re a parent, you’ve the power to help other parents by donating blood.” “You’ve the ability to memorialize others by donating blood in their honor.” “Congratulations on your graduation. Your knowledge will continually impact others, and so can a habit to regularly donate blood.”

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