title: Donating blood for research: a potential method for enhancing customer satisfaction of permanently deferred blood donors.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Each year, a large number of individuals in Australia are deferred from donating blood. A deferral may have a negative impact on donor satisfaction and subsequent word-of-mouth communication. The Australian Red Cross Blood Service (the Blood Service) is, therefore, investigating options for managing service interactions with deferred donors to maintain positive relationships. While public research institutes in Australia have established independent research donor registries, other countries provide programmes allowing deferred donors to donate blood for research via blood collection agencies. This study examined attitudes towards donating blood for research use in a sample of permanently deferred Australian donors.
  
  
  METHODS
  Donors permanently deferred because of a risk of variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (n=449) completed a postal survey that examined attitudes towards research donation.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The majority of participants were interested in donating blood for research (96%), and joining a registry of research donors (93%). Participants preferred to donate for transfusion or clinical research, and were willing to travel large distances. Results indicated that positive attitudes towards the Blood Service would be extended if the opportunity to donate blood was provided. These findings indicate a desire for continued engagement with the Blood Service despite deferral.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Donating blood for research is a potential way of maintaining positive relationships with permanently deferred donors which also benefits the health research community. Through maintaining positive relationships with deferred donors, positive word-of-mouth activity can be stimulated. Further work is needed to determine the feasibility of implementing research donation through the Blood Service in Australia.
authors.affiliation: Research and Development, Australian Red Cross Blood Service, Sidney, Australia.
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Waller
authors.affiliation: Research and Development, Australian Red Cross Blood Service, Sidney, Australia.
authors.forename: Amanda
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Thijsen
authors.affiliation: Research and Development, Australian Red Cross Blood Service, Sidney, Australia.
authors.forename: Allira
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Garradd
authors.affiliation: Research and Development, Australian Red Cross Blood Service, Melbourne, Australia.
authors.forename: Jane
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hayman
authors.affiliation: Research and Development, Australian Red Cross Blood Service, Melbourne, Australia.
authors.forename: Geoff
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Smith
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001315:Australia / Q000453:epidemiology; D035843:Biomedical Research; D001782:Blood Donors; D058731:Blood Safety; D007562:Creutzfeldt-Jakob Syndrome / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010549:Personal Satisfaction; D012042:Registries