Voluntary blood donor recruitment: Determinants, strategic approaches, and modern challenges

ABSTRACT

Voluntary blood donation is a key pillar in ensuring adequate blood supply in modern healthcare systems. The continuous demand for blood and the limited shelf life of blood products make the development of effective donor recruitment strategies imperative. Enhancing voluntary blood donation requires an understanding of the social, psychological, and cultural parameters that influence related behaviors.

The aim of the present article was to explore the factors affecting individuals’ willingness to donate blood, present the main donor recruitment strategies, and evaluate modern technological approaches in both the Greek and international context.

Major motivators for blood donation include social responsibility, personal experience with blood need, and psychological satisfaction from helping others. Conversely, inhibitory factors include fear, lack of information, and distrust in the healthcare system. Strategies such as education, mobile apps, social media campaigns, and the use of artificial intelligence are shown to effectively increase participation, especially among younger individuals.

Strengthening blood donation requires a multifaceted approach, including public education, social recognition, use of digital tools, and cultivation of a culture of volunteerism. The targeted application of such strategies can significantly improve blood sufficiency and enhance public health outcomes.

Keywords: Blood donation, volunteer donors, health communication, social behavior, Mobile health