Bring the Family: Evaluation Of A Donors

Recruit Donors Blood Donation Strategy

Geoff Smith and Dan Waller Donor and Community Research

Australian Red Cross Blood Service

We would like to acknowledge the Australian governments that fully fund the

Blood Service for the provision of blood products and services to the Australian

community

Donor Recruitment

North, Central and South America

Africa

Acquisition of new donors

Conversion of Family replacement Donors to Voluntary

donors

Emerging theme: importance of family and friends in

communicating donation messages and passing on

information and experience

Australian Context

1 in 3 will need blood or blood products in their life

1 in 30 donate blood

Population is growing, ageing and becoming more

culturally and ethnically diverse

Important to engage and retain new donors, particularly

younger ones who may be with us long term

Background

Our own research and focus groups highlight the

importance of family and friends experiences and actions

in a person’s decision to donate blood

This could provide a cost-effective method of recruiting

new blood donors

Prior research from the Netherlands showed that, 57% of a

sample of donors were willing to recruit new donors from

their family and friends (Lemmens et al., 2008)

Background

Lemmens found 734 participants reported that they

recruited 984 new blood donors

Unable to follow up and see how many of these resulted in

donations

Methods (quick version)

Donors were invited to take part via email, and register to

receive their own unique ID number

190 active blood donors registered as a ‘recruiter’

Mean age 44.14 (SD =14.14)

Female = 107 (56%), Male = 83 (44%)

Mean number donations = 29.25 (SD = 42.27)

They received study instructions, motivational support

materials

Three reminders over a 10 week period

Motivational Story

Geoff’s Story

Brought being a blood donor to the attention as voluntary work

“At a party of a good friend we were talking about voluntary work.

Most of my friends want to do something, but don’t have enough

time. I told them about my way of making a contribution: donating

blood. A few people immediately dropped out, but others wanted to

know more. I told them how I registered and how my first donation

was. I still had the donor-recruits-donor cards in my bag, so they

proved useful. Yesterday I received emails from two friends saying

that they registered. Not bad.”

Outcomes (so far)

The current cost of recruiting one new blood donor is

about $46.23 (excluding salaries)

So far our 200 participants have cost $170 in materials

Leading to 65 (kept) appointments

Or 65 donations for $2.62 each

Careers to be followed – some may donate plasma

Conclusion and next steps

Successful strategy – cost effective

Builds on emerging theme from donor recruitment

agencies word-wide

Long term follow up – donor careers or “one and done”

Can these recruits become recruiters?

Donor comments on success

“I will try to help. I know I can get one additional donor

immediately.”

I have found a few people who will be coming with me next

time

Yes, I'd love to help recruit more donors and do this

among friends and colleagues

Target population?

Just wondering if you could send out another 34 cards so

that I could hand them out to staff at the school I teach at.

I have already given out the cards you sent me in the

package. I would be happy to distribute some more at my

church.