Blood Donor

Information
and Adapted from the Course on
Developing VBD Program
Education
Strategies

BDP12.1
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 Core topics

Goals of donor education

Reaching the target population
Community mobilization
Converting family/replacement donors

BDP22.1
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 Need for donor education

Varying levels of public awareness

Little or no knowledge or experience of blood
donation or transfusion
Cultural or religious beliefs, traditions, taboos
Never asked to donate blood
Fear of the donation process: needle, contracting
disease, results of screening

BDP32.1
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 Goals of donor education

To raise public awareness of the need for blood

for transfusion
To improve knowledge and promote positive
attitudes and beliefs towards blood donation
To create a community culture that promotes and
supports voluntary blood donation
To develop community involvement in donor
education

BDP42.1
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 Goals of donor education

To promote changes in individual behaviour

 Decision to donate blood
 Decision to become a regular repeat donor
To promote healthy lifestyles
To educate potential donors when they should not
donate blood
 Donor health
 High-risk behaviour

BDP52.1
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 Steps in becoming a blood
donor
Awareness: recognition of the importance of blood
and blood donation
Interest: positive attitude towards donating blood
Education: understanding of the donation process,
criteria for suitability to donate
Motivation: decision to donate blood
Action: participate in MBD or become a walk-in
donor

BDP62.1
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 Reaching the target population

Who do we want to educate and recruit?

Why are they suitable target populations?
What are their attitudes, beliefs, values, interests
and fears?
What do we want them to know and understand?
What are the most effective channels of
communication?
Who can help us to reach them?
BDP72.1
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 Reaching the target population

Who do we want to educate and recruit?

 Voluntary non remunerated blood donors from
low risk population
Why are they suitable target populations?
 low risk for transfusion transmissible infection
What are their attitudes, beliefs, values, interests
and fears?

BDP82.1
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 Reaching the target population

What do we want them to know and understand?

 The need for voluntary blood donation, the
importance of safe blood donation, risk behaviour
and the reasons for donor selection criteria

BDP92.1
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 Reaching the target population

What are the most effective channels of

communication?
 Developing messages that are clear and simple
Ex, Donate safe blood today (will help potential
donors to consider safety of blood supply before
donating
 Developing graphic elements ( seeking the help
of newspaper, TV and advertising specialists)

BDP102.1
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 Reaching the target population

 Testing the message with donors and non donors

 Using the message ( repetition is the key element
in the communication process)
 Using media ( newspaper ,TV radio, press
releases, word of mouth marketing )

BDP112.1
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 Reaching the target population

Who can help us to reach them?

 Political leaders, tribal leaders, public health
workers, campaign organizers , community
leaders

BDP122.1
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 Reaching the target population

How do we want them to respond?

How should the information be presented:
messages, language, style?
How will we reach them: e.g. leaflets, posters,
press, radio, television, public talks, peer promotion,
internet, SMS/text messaging?
Who will carry out the campaign?
Who can we involve as partners?

BDP132.1
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 Reaching the target population

How long will it take to develop the campaign?

Is it a cost-effective approach?
Do we have sufficient resources?
Can we find sponsors for the campaign?
How will we pilot our campaign?

BDP142.1
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 Reaching the target population

How will we monitor and evaluate our campaign?

 The key to efficient evaluation is to determine
changes you expect to produce by your action.
 Evaluate the impact of your communication
efforts by collecting information on the changes
you expect to produce.
 Follow expenditure of the program closely to
determine communication activities are cost
effective.
BDP152.1
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 From education to community
mobilization
Foster community involvement, the foundation of
community-based blood donor programmes
Recognize different kinds of communities:
geographical areas, organizations, workplaces,
educational institutions, social venues
Build partnerships with community focal points
Encourage endorsement, support and role
modelling through community leaders, celebrities,
blood donor organizations, Club 25
BDP162.1
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 From education to community
mobilization
Use local contacts and channels of communication
Work with local organizing committees in the
planning, promotion and organization of blood
drives/mobile donor sessions
Increase visibility and communication during
special events: e.g. religious and community
festivals, sporting and cultural events
Organize street recruitment campaigns: e.g.
shopping malls
BDP172.1
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 Converting family/replacement
donors
Family/replacement (FR) donors are under
pressure to donate blood
. . . but
Have personal experience of the importance of
blood donation
May be willing to become voluntary blood donors
May become enthusiastic advocates of voluntary
blood donation

BDP182.1
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 Conversion strategies

Ensure blood service participation in hospital

transfusion committees
Educate medical, nursing and laboratory staff in
hospitals, health centres and ante-natal clinics to
promote voluntary blood donation
Develop information and education materials
specifically for family/replacement donors
Organize posters and exhibitions about voluntary
blood donation at hospitals
BDP192.1
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 Conversion strategies

Encourage hospital and health centre staff to

sensitize FR donors when they present to
donate blood for their relatives
Follow up FR donors after donation to seek their
commitment to become voluntary donors
Recall them to donate blood after 3-4 months
Use sensitized FR donors as contact persons,
encouraging them to organize blood drives at
their place of work, worship, community
BDP202.1
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 Key points

Donor education is the bridge between

awareness, motivation and recruitment
Different education strategies are needed for
different donor populations
Community involvement is a key element of donor
education strategies
Well-planned strategies may succeed in
converting some family/replacement donors to
voluntary blood donation
BDP212.1
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 Learning outcomes

You should now be able to:

Identify the components of a blood donor
recruitment strategy
Consider ways in which these could be applied in
your blood donor programme

BDP222.1
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