Institutional incentives for altruism: gifting blood in China

BMC Public Health

Joseph Tak Fai Lau³  Yu Cheng²  Eleanor Holroyd¹  Chengpu Yu² 

[1] Division of Nursing and Midwifery, RMIT University, Melbourne, Australia;Center of Medical Anthropology and Behaviour Health, School of Sociology and Anthropology, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China;School of Public Health and Primary Care, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Sha Tin, Hong Kong

关键词: China;    Institutional incentives;    Blood donation;    Blood collection;   

Others  :  1162157
DOI  :  10.1186/1471-2458-13-524

 received in 2012-10-26, accepted in 2013-05-22,  发布年份 2013

【 摘 要 】

Background

In mainland China, the motivation behind voluntary blood donation is a relatively new and understudied behavior. In recent times provincial governments in China have implemented various institutional incentive measures. However, little is known regarding the effectiveness of such measures. This qualitative study investigated the nature and outcomes of some identified institutionalized mechanisms, in particular how these were created and distributed in the form of incentives for voluntary blood donation.

Methods

Participatory observations were conducted at two blood donation stations and four blood collecting vehicles in Changsha city, China. In-depth interviews were conducted with 17 staff and 58 blood donors at the aforementioned venues from May to October 2008 in Changsha.

Results

Thematic analysis revealed the operation of four primary type incentives: policy-driven, symbolic, information feedback and role models, which constituted the system of institutional incentives. The current blood reimbursement system was not the primary motivation for blood donation; instead this system was a subtheme of future assurance for emergency blood needs. It was evident that symbolic incentives stressed the meaning and value of blood donation. Furthermore, post-donation information services and the inherent mechanisms of communication, enhanced by some public role models, served to draw the public to donate blood.

Conclusions

At the institutional level, blood donation was not only informed by altruism, but also carried a system of benefit and reward for the donors and their family members. We would recommend that such arrangements, if accommodated effectively into China’s health promotion strategies, would increase the likelihood of blood donation.

【 授权许可】

   
2013 Yu et al.; licensee BioMed Central Ltd.

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