title: Monetary compensation and blood donor return: results of a donor survey in southwest Germany.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to compare donor return patterns of non-compensated and compensated German first-time donors to assess the effect of monetary reward on donor return.
  
  
  METHODS
  We conducted a retrospective analysis of a donor survey of 3,077 non-compensated and 738 compensated German first-time donors. Survey data were pooled and linked with blood donor return rates within the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd year. Logistic regression models were used to estimate differences in the probability of donor return between non-compensated and compensated donors.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In the first 2 years following the initial donation, compensated donors were more likely to return with the odds of giving at least one further donation 1.86 (1st year) and 1.32 (2nd year) times higher for compensated donors than for non-compensated donors. In the 3rd year, there were no significant differences in donor return.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This report, which was based on two non-randomized donor samples, suggests that monetary compensation may increase the likelihood of donors returning in the first months after the initial donation. Monetary reward may therefore be used as a short-term strategy to recruit new donors. The long-term commitment, however, seems not to be affected by monetary reward, and complementary donor retention strategies are needed.
authors.affiliation: Mannheim Institute of Public Health, Mannheim Medical Faculty, Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany ; Institute of Transfusion Medicine and Immunology, DRK-Blood Service Baden-Wuerttemberg - Hesse, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany.
authors.forename: Christian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Weidmann
authors.affiliation: Mannheim Institute of Public Health, Mannheim Medical Faculty, Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany.
authors.forename: Sven
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Schneider
authors.affiliation: Institute of Transfusion Medicine and Immunology, DRK-Blood Service Baden-Wuerttemberg - Hesse, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany.
authors.forename: Eberhard
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Weck
authors.affiliation: Institute of Clinical and Experimental Transfusion Medicine (IKET), University Hospital Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany.
authors.forename: Dagmar
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Menzel
authors.affiliation: Institute of Transfusion Medicine and Immunology, DRK-Blood Service Baden-Wuerttemberg - Hesse, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany.
authors.forename: Harald
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Klüter
authors.affiliation: Institute of Transfusion Medicine and Immunology, DRK-Blood Service Baden-Wuerttemberg - Hesse, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany.
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Müller-Steinhardt
keywords: Compensation; Donor retention; Donor return; Donors; Germany