Why Do Blood Donors Lapse or Reduce Their Donation's Frequency?

Area of Science:

• Transfusion Medicine
• Public Health
• Sociology of Health

Background:

• Blood donation systems rely on voluntary, nonremunerated donors.
• Retaining existing blood donors is critical for maintaining a stable blood supply.
• Understanding donor demographics and deterrents is key to developing effective retention strategies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare donor demographics and identify deterrents to blood donation among plasma/platelet donors (PPDs), regular whole blood donors (WBDs), and lapsed whole blood donors (LWBDs).
• To analyze the factors influencing reduced donation frequency and cessation of blood donation within a voluntary system.

Main Methods:

• A survey was administered to 1879 participants, including WBDs, PPDs, and LWBDs.
• Data collected included motivations, time use, reasons for reduced or ceased donation, and demographic variables.
• Chi-squared (χ(2)) tests were used to compare deterrents across the three donor groups.

Main Results:

• "Time constraints related to work or studies" was the most frequent deterrent (43%).
• Statistically significant differences in 7 deterrents were observed between WBDs, LWBDs, and PPDs.
• Donation obstacles varied significantly based on sex, age (life course), and education level.

Conclusions:

• Blood collection agencies need to develop targeted retention strategies for different donor segments.
• Retention efforts should consider donor-specific profiles, life-stage events, and educational backgrounds.
• Addressing time constraints and demographic-specific barriers is essential for improving blood donor retention.