title: Poor appointment-keeping behaviour among repeat blood donors and its relationship to the intent to donate again.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Anecdotal evidence suggests that missed donation appointments among repeat whole-blood donors are associated with decreased likelihood of future blood donation. This study sought to examine the relationship between missed donation appointments and intention to donate again among repeat whole-blood donors and to examine whether demographic variables are related to appointment-keeping behaviour.
  
  
  METHODS
  During the period February-June 2013, telephone interviews were conducted with repeat donors who either did not show up for or cancelled their donation appointments on the day of the appointment. We asked them whether or not they wanted to schedule appointments for subsequent donations.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Rates of missed donation appointments varied by age, but not gender. Although a statistically significant difference between male and female donors was not found with regard to willingness to donate again, female donors were more likely than male donors to call and cancel their appointment. Finally, compared with repeat donors who called and cancelled their appointment, no-show donors were 2.5 times less likely to schedule appointments for subsequent donations (P < 0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results demonstrate that poor appointment-keeping behaviour, and in particular no-show behaviour, is significantly associated with decreased likelihood of future blood donation among repeat whole-blood donors.
authors.affiliation: Department of Immunology and Transfusion Medicine, Akershus University Hospital, University of Oslo, Lørenskog, Norway.
authors.forename: S A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Mousavi
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Hermundstad
authors.forename: E M
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Kjustad Frøyland
authors.forename: A H
authors.initials: AH
authors.lastname: Llohn
authors.forename: T R
authors.initials: TR
authors.lastname: Knutsen
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D001071:Appointments and Schedules; D001519:Behavior; D001782:Blood Donors / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009664:Norway; D012737:Sex Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
keywords: attrition; donor pool; intention to donate again; missed donation appointment; repeat donors