Patterns of Social Support and the Intention to Donate Blood among Blood Donors

The cultivation of a consistent intention to donate blood is important in sustaining donation levels. Motivation to donate emanates from complex psychological factors such as a positive attitude, self-confidence and perceived social pressure. However, these psychological factors are changeable, thus impacting on the frequency of blood donatations. Therefore, it is assumed that donors need enhanced support, including from social networks as an agent of pressure, in developing a consistent attitude toward donation. This article aims to explore patterns of social support that may enhance more consistency in donating blood amongst Novice Blood Donors (NBDs) and Regular Blood Donors (RBDs). Data were collected through eleven sets of semi-structured interviews from 20 blood donors, selected through purposive sampling from the National Blood Centre, Kuala Lumpur. Data were analyzed thematically. The study found that all informants were consistent in their intention to donate blood. The study found however that there are different patterns of social support affecting NBDs and RBDs. NBDs exhibit interdependent relationships of social support in their networks, whereas the RBDs report one-way-external social support; that is from RBDs to other people. These findings have implications for the management of blood supply and suggest that the role of social support in maintaining intentions to donate blood should be considered in future. Further research should examine in more detail mechanisms to strengthen patterns of social support among blood donors.