Abstract
BackgroundIn the Soviet period, the blood donation system operated in Lithuania exclusively on a remunerative basis. After joining the EU, Lithuania committed itself to meeting the EU requirements to provide all consumers within its boundaries with safe blood products made from voluntary unpaid blood donations. However, the introduction of a non-remunerated donation system may considerably affect donors' motivation and retention. Thus the aim of the current research was to determine blood donation motives among the present donors and investigate their attitude towards non-remunerated donation.MethodsA questionnaire survey of 400 blood donors. Survey data processed using SPSS statistical analysis package. Statistical data reliability checked using Fisher's exact test (p < 0.05).ResultsPaid donors comprised 89.9%, while non-paid ones made 10.1% of the respondents. Research findings show that 93 per cent of the paid donors give blood on a regular basis; while among the non-remunerated donors the same figure amounted merely to 20.6 per cent. The idea of the remuneration necessity is supported by 78.3 per cent of the paid donors, while 64.7 per cent of the non-remunerated respondents believe that remuneration is not necessary. The absolute majority of the paid donors (92%) think they should be offered a monetary compensation for blood donation, while more than half of the non-remunerated donors (55.9) claim they would be content with a mere appreciation of the act. Provided no remuneration were offered, 28.44 per cent of the respondents would carry on doing it, 29.6 per cent would do it only in emergency, 29.6 per cent would donate blood merely for their family or friends, and 12.3 per cent would quit it completely.ConclusionMost respondents admitted having donated blood for the following reasons: willingness to help the ill or monetary compensation. Majority would consent to free blood donation only in case of emergency or as a family replacement, which leads to a conclusion that provided monetary remuneration is completely terminated part of the currently active paid donors would withdraw from this activity, which might seriously affect the national supply of blood and its products.
Highlights
In the Soviet period, the blood donation system operated in Lithuania exclusively on a remunerative basis
The safest donors are found among people who donate their blood voluntarily once or twice a year, purely out of altruism, and are self-aware of their unsuitability to serve as blood donors where there might be a slightest risk of causing health damage for blood recipients [3,4,5,6]
The possibility of catching hepatitis, is much higher among paid donors [7,8]. This might be accounted for by the fact that the latter come from environments where hepatitis cases are more commonplace; on the other hand, a person in need for money is more likely to conceal his/her true state of health, and monetary remuneration, which is often offered as a donor motivating means, might be highly appealing for people who live in desperate straits [9]
Summary
In the Soviet period, the blood donation system operated in Lithuania exclusively on a remunerative basis. Over a million blood units are collected from donors every year; many more millions still need to be collected to meet the global demand and ensure sufficient and timely provision of blood [1]. This shows that blood donation is a highly relevant issue worldwide that calls for the government commitment to it as well as research in this field. This might be accounted for by the fact that the latter come from environments where hepatitis cases are more commonplace; on the other hand, a person in need for money is more likely to conceal his/her true state of health, and monetary remuneration, which is often offered as a donor motivating means, might be highly appealing for people who live in desperate straits [9]
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