Motivators and deterrents to blood donation among Black South Africans: a qualitative analysis of focus group data. Issue 4 (23rd June 2015)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Muthivhi, T. N.; Olmsted, M. G.; Park, H.; Sha, M.; Raju, V.; Mokoena, T.; Bloch, E. M.; Murphy, E. L.; Reddy, R.
• Is Part Of: Transfusion medicine. Volume 25:Issue 4(2015)
• Page Start: 249
• Page End: 258
• Publication Date: 2015-06-23
• Subjects: Blood -- Transfusion -- Periodicals; 615.39
• DOI: 10.1111/tme.12218
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0958-7578

Abstract

<abstract abstract-type="main" id="tme12218-abs-0001"> <title>SUMMARY</title> <sec id="tme12218-sec-0001" sec-type="section"> <title>Background and Objectives</title> <p id="tme12218-para-0001">South Africa has a markedly skewed representation where the majority of blood (62%) is presently collected from an ethnically White minority. This study seeks to identify culturally specific factors affecting motivation of donors in South Africa.</p> </sec> <sec id="tme12218-sec-0002" sec-type="section"> <title>Materials and Methods</title> <p id="tme12218-para-0002">We performed a qualitative study to evaluate motivators and deterrents to blood donation among Black South Africans. A total of 13 focus groups, comprising a total of 97 Black South Africans, stratified by age and geographic location were conducted. Transcripts of the interviews were analysed using a coding framework by Bednall & Bove.</p> </sec> <sec id="tme12218-sec-0003" sec-type="section"> <title>Results</title> <p id="tme12218-para-0003">Participants made 463 unique comments about motivators focusing primarily on promotional communications (28%), incentives (20%) and prosocial motivation (16%). Participants made 376 comments about deterrents which focused primarily on fear (41%), negative attitudes (14%) and lack of knowledge (10%).</p> </sec> <sec id="tme12218-sec-0004" sec-type="section"> <title>Conclusion</title> <p id="tme12218-para-0004">Although prosocial motivation (altruism) was the most frequently mentioned individual motivator, promotional communication elicited more overall comments by participants. As reported by many authors, fear and lack of awareness were strong deterrents, but scepticism engendered by perceived racial discrimination in blood collection were unique to the South African environment.</p> </sec> </abstract>