title: Motivation and social capital among prospective blood donors in three large blood centers in Brazil.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Studies analyzing motivation factors that lead to blood donation have found altruism to be the primary motivation factor; however, social capital has not been analyzed in this context. Our study examines the association between motivation factors (altruism, self-interest, and response to direct appeal) and social capital (cognitive and structural) across three large blood centers in Brazil.
  
  
  METHODS
  We conducted a cross-sectional survey of 7635 donor candidates from October 15 through November 20, 2009. Participants completed self-administered questionnaires on demographics, previous blood donation, human immunodeficiency virus testing and knowledge, social capital, and donor motivations. Enrollment was determined before the donor screening process.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Among participants, 43.5 and 41.7% expressed high levels of altruism and response to direct appeal, respectively, while only 26.9% expressed high levels of self-interest. More high self-interest was observed at Hemope-Recife (41.7%). Of participants, 37.4% expressed high levels of cognitive social capital while 19.2% expressed high levels of structural social capital. More high cognitive and structural social capital was observed at Hemope-Recife (47.3 and 21.3%, respectively). High cognitive social capital was associated with high levels of altruism, self-interest, and response to direct appeal. Philanthropic and high social altruism were associated with high levels of altruism and response to direct appeal.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Cognitive and structural social capital and social altruism are associated with altruism and response to direct appeal, while only cognitive social capital is associated with self-interest. Designing marketing campaigns with these aspects in mind may help blood banks attract potential blood donors more efficiently.
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology, Blood Systems Research Institute, San Francisco, California 94118, USA. tgoncalez@bloodsystems.org
authors.forename: Thelma T
authors.initials: TT
authors.lastname: Gonçalez
authors.forename: Claudia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Di Lorenzo Oliveira
authors.forename: Anna Barbara F
authors.initials: AB
authors.lastname: Carneiro-Proietti
authors.forename: Elizabeth C
authors.initials: EC
authors.lastname: Moreno
authors.forename: Carolina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Miranda
authors.forename: Nina
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Larsen
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Wright
authors.forename: Silvana
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Leão
authors.forename: Paula
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Loureiro
authors.forename: Cesar
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: de Almeida-Neto
authors.forename: Maria-Inês
authors.initials: MI
authors.lastname: Lopes
authors.forename: Fernando A
authors.initials: FA
authors.lastname: Proietti
authors.forename: Brian
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Custer
authors.forename: Ester
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Sabino
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000533:Altruism; D001294:Attitude to Health; D001771:Blood Banks / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D001782:Blood Donors / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data / Q000600:supply & distribution*; D001938:Brazil / Q000453:epidemiology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004522:Educational Status; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009042:Motivation; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D020377:Self Efficacy; D012945:Social Values; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult