Blood donation mobile applications: are donors ready?

Area of Science:

• Health Informatics
• Mobile Health (mHealth)
• Blood Donation Management

Background:

• Mobile communication technologies offer significant potential for enhancing blood donor recruitment and retention.
• Leveraging technology can address challenges in maintaining a consistent blood supply.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess blood donor readiness and interest in a dedicated blood donation mobile application.
• To identify preferred features and potential concerns regarding mobile app usage for blood donation.

Main Methods:

• A web-based survey was distributed via email to blood donors in a large metropolitan area.
• The survey collected data on smartphone access, preferred communication methods, desired app features, and likelihood of app adoption.

Main Results:

• 87.3% of 982 respondents had smartphone access, with email being the preferred contact method (62.1%).
• Key desired features included 24/7 appointment scheduling (76.8%) and rapid confirmations (81.3%).
• 67.7% expressed likelihood to use a blood donation app, though older donors (>45) and less frequent donors showed lower adoption likelihood.

Conclusions:

• Blood donors in metropolitan areas demonstrate strong receptiveness to mobile applications for managing their donations.
• Mobile apps can be a valuable tool for improving donor engagement and streamlining the donation process.