title: Efficacy of interventions promoting blood donation: a systematic review.
abstract: Findings about the efficacy of interventions promoting blood donation are scattered and sometime inconsistent. The aim of the present systematic review was to identify the most effective types of interventions and modes of delivery to increase blood donation. The following databases were investigated: MEDLINE/PubMed, PsycINFO, CINAHL, EMBASE, and Proquest Dissertations and Theses. Additional studies were also included by checking the references of the articles included in the review and by looking at our personal collection. The outcomes of interest were either blood drive attendance or blood donations. A total of 29 randomized controlled trials or quasi-experimental studies were included in the review, detailing 36 interventions tested among independent samples. Interventions targeting psychosocial cognitions (s = 8, s to represent the number of independent samples; odds ratio [OR], 2.47; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.42-4.28), those stressing the altruistic motives to give blood (s = 4; OR, 3.89; 95% CI, 1.03-14.76), and reminders (s = 7; OR, 1.91; 95% CI, 1.22-2.99) were the most successful in increasing blood donation. The results suggest that motivational interventions and reminders are the most effective in increasing blood donation, but additional studies are needed to evaluate the efficacy of other types of interventions.
authors: Canada Research Chair on Behaviour and Health, Laval University, Québec, Canada G1V 0A6. gaston.godin@fsi.ulaval.ca
authors: Gaston
authors: G
authors: Godin
authors: Lydi-Anne
authors: LA
authors: Vézina-Im
authors: Ariane
authors: A
authors: Bélanger-Gravel
authors: Steve
authors: S
authors: Amireault
mesh_terms: D000533:Altruism; D001782:Blood Donors / Q000706:statistics & numerical data / Q000600:supply & distribution*; D017598:Efficiency, Organizational; D034742:Electronic Mail / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006293:Health Promotion / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D009042:Motivation / Q000502:physiology; D011177:Postal Service / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D017010:Reminder Systems / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D013689:Telephone / Q000706:statistics & numerical data