Donor Recruitment and Retention

Project leaders: Ingrid Veldhuizen PhD and Wim de Kort PhD

Behavioral studies

Psychosocial and behavioral aspects of blood donation are the key issues within this research line. The determinants of donation behavior are important for the donor career. Gaining insight into voluntary withdrawal among new blood donors is important for developing a long-term donor career. Behavioral determinants were measured amongst 5000 new donors at three different points in their donor career. This longitudinal study provides a thorough understanding of which factors at what point in time influence a decrease in motivation leading to early voluntary withdrawal. These insights allow for tailored interventions to improve donor retention. The first results indicate that with regard to the first blood donation, experiencing a physical reaction in itself does not decrease the donation motivation. Instead, the subjective severity of the reaction can negatively influence the motivation to donate.

In 2009 a PhD project started on show/no-show behavior of donors after receiving an invitation to donate. In 2010 information was gathered about no-show behavior of donors in different ways; exploring existing literature for a review article, analyses of cohort data among blood donors (Donor Insight research), and analyses of blood bank data to calculate show-rates in different ways. Furthermore, in cooperation with the donor administration, a study was designed to clarify how many donors cancel their invitation for a donation and for what reason. Additionally, 90 donors were interviewed about their satisfaction with the invitation system, reasons of previous no-show behavior and negative donation experiences. In preparation of the second year a brainstorm session was held about possible theories for the questionnaire that will be send to a random sample of donors. This questionnaire has been sent out and we are awaiting responses.

DOnor MAnagement IN Europe, DOMAINE

DOMAINE (Donor Management IN Europe) is a European Union co-funded project, in which blood establishments from 18 European member states and one patient-driven organization join their forces on donor management. DOMAINE aims to compare and recommend good donor management practice. It focuses on various aspects of donor management (including cultural differences): donor recruitment strategies, donor retention strategies, deferral procedures and blood bank policy regarding patients requiring long-term transfusion.

In the first phase – performed in 2008/2009 – of the project, a survey was conducted to analyze donor management practice in Europe. In total, 48 questionnaires have been sent to 37 European countries, with a response rate of 88%. The (confidential) survey report has been finalized in May 2009. The report has served as a template for the manual on good donor management, which has been presented in a specially organized session at the XXXIst ISBT Berlin meeting in June 2010. The third and final phase will concentrate on setting up a training program for blood donor management professionals on the manual.

DM DOMAINE cover

Key publications