A scoping review of sociology of voluntary blood donation

Maintaining stable blood supplies presents an increasing challenge for blood collection agencies (BCAs). Novel and multidisciplinary approaches and research have been called for to understand the mechanisms underlying the trends. The current body of sociological research on blood donation is a potentially valuable resource, but it is dispersed over different publications and theoretical frameworks.

We conducted a scoping review of sociological research on voluntary, non-remunerated blood donation to identify insights and practical applications for researchers and BCAs.

Four organizing themes were identified: donated blood, blood donors, organizations and blood service systems. Key challenges associated with the organization of voluntary blood donation exist at the institutional and systems levels, and they may not be readily resolved by interventions focussed solely on the individual donor level. We identified opportunities for organizations to build trust with donors and the public through communications and working with communities to promote inclusion in blood donation.

The results support a multidisciplinary approach and research for BCAs to move forward and find novel ways to ensure safe, resilient blood service systems.