Factors influencing the decision to donate: racial and ethnic comparisons.
BACKGROUND
Understanding factors that encourage different racial and ethnic groups to donate is crucial for donor recruitment and retention.


METHODS
A 28-item self-administered questionnaire was completed in 2003 by 1862 Asian, 1479 black, 1641 Hispanic, and 2940 White US donors who had given whole blood within the past year. With a 1 to 5 scale, donors were asked to rate the importance of 17 factors in their last donation decision. Logistic regression was conducted to compare the odds of a factor being important or very important (score of 4 or 5) in one's decision to donate between race or ethnic groups, stratified by first-time and repeat status.


RESULTS
More than 90 percent of each respondent group cited a desire, responsibility, or perceived duty to help others as an important or very important motivator. Being asked to donate at work was also an important motivator for all race and ethnic groups (56-70%). Getting the results of a health screen appealed to many (approx. 30% found it important or very important) and was most important to Black and Hispanic donors (odds ratios of 1.3-1.9 compared to White donors; p<0.003).


CONCLUSIONS
Recruitment and retention programs should build on people's sense of social responsibility. Direct requests to donate are particularly effective motivators. Of a variety of incentives evaluated, offering more comprehensive health screens may motivate many donors, especially Black and Hispanic donors.
Glynn
Simone A
SA
Westat, Rockville, Maryland 20850, USA. Simoneglynn@westat.com
Schreiber
George B
GB
Murphy
Edward L
EL
Kessler
Debra
D
Higgins
Martha
M
Wright
David J
DJ
Mathew
Sunitha
S
Tu
Yongling
Y
King
Melissa
M
Smith
James W
JW
D000328:Adult; D001741:Black or African American; D001213:Asian; D001782:Blood Donors; D003657:Decision Making; D005006:Ethnicity; D005260:Female; D006630:Hispanic or Latino; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009042:Motivation; D010808:Physical Examination; D044469:Racial Groups; D012941:Social Responsibility; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014481:United States; D044465:White People