Decisions to register for the National Marrow Donor Program: rational vs emotional appeals

Abstract

Little research has examined how the content of health communications regarding the need for BM and stem cell donation affects the intentions and attitudes of potential National Marrow Donor Program (NMDP) donors. This study used an experimental design to test the hypothesis that an emotional appeal (EA) to potential donors would lead to higher rates of NMDP registration than a rational appeal (RA). Participants were randomly assigned to receive either a RA or an EA and then asked if they would (1) register with the NMDP and (2) talk with family members about NMDP registration. A total of 85% of individuals receiving the EA agreed to register for the NMDP, whereas only 49% of the participants receiving the RA agreed to register. The EA (72%) and RA (54%) groups did not differ significantly in their reported willingness to talk with family members about NMDP registration. However, multivariate logistic regression analyses indicated that the EA group endorsed significantly greater willingness to engage in both outcomes. Results suggest that an EA was more effective in motivating participants, but other sociodemographic factors were also associated with decisions about NMDP registration. EA may provide a useful and cost-effective method for increasing NMDP registration. Bone Marrow Transplantation (2010) 45, 422-428; doi:10.1038/bmt.2009 Despite a substantial roster of volunteer donors, a significant portion of individuals seeking unrelated donors through the NMDP do not find a suitable match. Recent NMDP data indicate that 15% of all individuals seeking matches from unrelated donors were not able to find a match during a preliminary search process.3 In addition, the NMDP has reported that approximately 30% of registered donors who are identified as potential matches are not available for further evaluation at the time of the request. 4 A seemingly logical solution to these challenges would be to continue to expand membership in the NMPD so as to maximize the number of available HLA-typed donors.One of the major challenges of expanding NMDP registration involves communicating relevant information to the public. There remains relatively little awareness of the opportunity and the need to register, particularly among non-Caucasian populations. 5 In addition, there is much confusion about the process of registering for the NMDP and about what NMDP registrants may be asked to do if matched to a transplant recipient. Although greater public education about the NMDP would likely increase registry participation, little research has examined ways to communicate such information to optimize recruitment efforts.A review of the literature examining the factors associated with participation in marrow and stem cell registries revealed a small set of studies. Research on donor recruitment in the early days of the NMDP focused largely on demographic variables and apheresis as predictors of becoming a marrow donor. Such studies found mixed results regarding the relationship between previous apheresis and willingness to donate BM,...

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“…In numerous countries including Turkey, the main barriers to stem cell donation are social, economic, and cultural factors. 8,16,18,19,[23][24][25] In the present study, > 60% medical students indicated that media affected their willingness to donate stem cells (Table 4). To date, media such as television, radio, and newspapers have been the primary sources of information about organ donation and transplantation 14 Media reports may positively affect public attitudes about HSCT and donation in Turkey.…”

“…In the present study, medical students were of specific interest because this group is likely to be informed about health issues in ways that are not representative of the general population. 16 The study participants were from all geographic regions of Turkey and had different levels of previous health knowledge. Therefore, these students may be representative of the younger generation in Turkey.…”

“…[12][13][14][15] However, little data are available in developing countries regarding the efficacy of public education to increase the number of stem cell donors. [16][17][18] University students may play an important role in promoting donation for HSCT because greater knowledge about this procedure in the university population may increase awareness in young people about the need. 11 The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of targeted HSCT-related education on knowledge and attitudes in first-year university students in Turkey about HSCT and donation.…”

Factors Influencing Hematopoietic Stem Cell Donation

“…Few studies investigated how or whether or if factors such as age, ethnicity, gender, knowledge, demographics, cultural influences or attitudes, and fears can affect the decision to donate [7,[17][18][19].…”

“…Another study in the USA tested the hypothesis that an emotional appeal would lead to higher registration rates than a rational appeal [18]. The participants, 102 medical students, were divided into two groups.…”