2020 Volume 17 Pages 159-180
Prior research has shown that having had family members or friends in need of blood motivates people to donate blood. However, few studies have focused on people who donate blood even though they do not know anyone who needs blood. This study aims to fill this gap by examining the motives of people who repeatedly donate blood although they do not know anyone in need of blood.
During the interviews, interviewees described their first-time motives for donation and their motives for repeatedly donating blood in common as: a desire to be of help to people in need, encouragement from family members or friends who are blood donors themselves or work at medical institutions, and the expectation that they or their family members would receive blood in the future.
Also, some donors stated that they repeatedly donate blood to maintain good health. There were interviewees who specified “no particular reason” or mere curiosity as their motive for their initial donation. However, these interviewees’ motives for repeatedly donating blood changed to motives such as a desire to help people in need and maintain good health. In order to increase the number of repeated blood donors, even if they have no particular reasons to donate, it is important to provide people with opportunities to participate in blood donation.
Moreover, because most of the interviewees first donated blood when theywere under 24 years old, targeting people under 24 is important.
