TY - JOUR
T1 - Efficacy of communication interventions for promoting blood donation in low‐ and middle‐income countries: A systematic review
AU - Appiah, Bernard
AU - Asamoah-Akuoko, Lucy
AU - Ahmed, Md Koushik
AU - Tancred, Tara
AU - Dei-Adomakoh, Yvonne
AU - Singh, Gursimar
AU - Reilly, Cavan
AU - Olayemi, Edeghonghon
AU - Delaney, Meghan
AU - France, Christopher R.
AU - Benneh-Akwasi Kuma, Amma
AU - Yawson, Alfred Edwin
AU - Telke, Susan
AU - Asiedu-Danso, Michelle
AU - Dei, Emmanuel Nene
AU - Adongo, Philip
AU - Bates, Imelda
PY - 2025/2/4
Y1 - 2025/2/4
N2 - Background and ObjectivesIn low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), information on the efficacy of communication interventions promoting blood donation is very scarce. The present review aimed to identify specific communication interventions and their efficacy for increasing blood donation in LMICs.Materials and MethodsThe databases searched were PubMed, Scopus, PsycINFO, Web of Science, CINAHL, ProQuest, AJOL and CAB Abstracts. Grey literature sources included the websites of African Society of Blood Transfusion, International Society of Blood Transfusion and World Health Organization. The outcomes of interest were donation attempt or actual blood donations.ResultsA total of 16 studies including nine randomized controlled trials (RCTs) were included in the review. The communication interventions included social media and mass media, such as radio and television, as platforms for promoting blood donation, and newspaper articles or advertisements as an incentive for donor recruitment. Mobile text messages were used either alone or in combination with phone calls, and other interventions such as meetings and brochures. Only three of the 16 studies specifically targeted behavioural science theories, and none of the 16 studies used any implementation science framework. For some communication interventions, there was evidence of statistically significant increases in donations, but the quality of the studies was weak.ConclusionThe efficacy of communication interventions for promoting blood donations in LMICs remains limited due to few rigorous studies. More rigorous, theory-based studies on the use of communication interventions to increase blood donation in LMICs, especially in sub-Saharan Africa where no prior RCT were identified, are needed.
AB - Background and ObjectivesIn low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), information on the efficacy of communication interventions promoting blood donation is very scarce. The present review aimed to identify specific communication interventions and their efficacy for increasing blood donation in LMICs.Materials and MethodsThe databases searched were PubMed, Scopus, PsycINFO, Web of Science, CINAHL, ProQuest, AJOL and CAB Abstracts. Grey literature sources included the websites of African Society of Blood Transfusion, International Society of Blood Transfusion and World Health Organization. The outcomes of interest were donation attempt or actual blood donations.ResultsA total of 16 studies including nine randomized controlled trials (RCTs) were included in the review. The communication interventions included social media and mass media, such as radio and television, as platforms for promoting blood donation, and newspaper articles or advertisements as an incentive for donor recruitment. Mobile text messages were used either alone or in combination with phone calls, and other interventions such as meetings and brochures. Only three of the 16 studies specifically targeted behavioural science theories, and none of the 16 studies used any implementation science framework. For some communication interventions, there was evidence of statistically significant increases in donations, but the quality of the studies was weak.ConclusionThe efficacy of communication interventions for promoting blood donations in LMICs remains limited due to few rigorous studies. More rigorous, theory-based studies on the use of communication interventions to increase blood donation in LMICs, especially in sub-Saharan Africa where no prior RCT were identified, are needed.
KW - blood donation
KW - communication interventions
KW - low- and middle-income countries
U2 - 10.1111/vox.13799
DO - 10.1111/vox.13799
M3 - Review article
SN - 0042-9007
VL - 120
SP - 432
EP - 446
JO - Vox Sanguinis
JF - Vox Sanguinis
IS - 5
ER -