Enhancing Blood Donation Intentions Using the Train-the-Trainer ( TTT ) Model: A Field Trial Study

Background: In Iran, despite various attempts to increase recruitment of female blood donors, women make up less than ۱۰% of blood donors.Methods: The purpose of the study was to evaluate the effect of face-toface education via the Train-the-Trainer (TTT) model on people’s willingness to donate blood, especially women. A field trial study was designed based on a face-to-face educational plan for a population in ۲۲ municipal regions of Tehran, the capital of Iran. The periods from March ۲۰۱۱ to February ۲۰۱۱ and from March ۲۰۱۰ to February ۲۰۱۰ were named as trial ۲ and trial ۱, respectively.Results: Total number of volunteers in trial ۲ was ۹,۱۷۸ cases, including ۲,۷۸۵ females and ۶,۳۹۳ males, compared with ۴,۰۷۴ cases, including ۴۵۴ females and ۳,۶۲۰ males, in trial ۱. Female/male ratios in trials ۱ and ۲ were ۰.۱۳ and ۰.۴۴, respectively (p<۰.۰۰۱). Deferred donors made up ۲۴% (۹۸۱/۴۰۷۴) of ۴,۰۷۴ in trial ۱, and of the ۹,۱۷۸ donors in trial ۲, ۲۹% (۲۶۹۳/۹۱۷۸) were deferred (p<۰.۰۰۱). The most common cause in trial ۱ was erythrocytosis, ۲۰%, and in trial ۲ was anemia, ۲۱.۵%.Conclusions: Overall, face-to-face education is an appropriate method for enhancing safe blood donor motivation and recruitment.Background: In Iran, despite various attempts to increase recruitment of female blood donors, women make up less than ۱۰% of blood donors. Methods: The purpose of the study was to evaluate the effect of face-toface education via the Train-the-Trainer (TTT) model on people’s willingness to donate blood, especially women. A field trial study was designed based on a face-to-face educational plan for a population in ۲۲ municipal regions of Tehran, the capital of Iran. The periods from March ۲۰۱۱ to February ۲۰۱۱ and from March ۲۰۱۰ to February ۲۰۱۰ were named as trial ۲ and trial ۱, respectively. Results: Total number of volunteers in trial ۲ was ۹,۱۷۸ cases, including ۲,۷۸۵ females and ۶,۳۹۳ males, compared with ۴,۰۷۴ cases, including ۴۵۴ females and ۳,۶۲۰ males, in trial ۱. Female/male ratios in trials ۱ and ۲ were ۰.۱۳ and ۰.۴۴, respectively (p<۰.۰۰۱). Deferred donors made up ۲۴% (۹۸۱/۴۰۷۴) of ۴,۰۷۴ in trial ۱, and of the ۹,۱۷۸ donors in trial ۲, ۲۹% (۲۶۹۳/۹۱۷۸) were deferred (p<۰.۰۰۱). The most common cause in trial ۱ was erythrocytosis, ۲۰%, and in trial ۲ was anemia, ۲۱.۵%. Conclusions: Overall, face-to-face education is an appropriate method for enhancing safe blood donor motivation and recruitment.

Keywords:

Blood donor , Recruitment , Education , TTT Model , Iran.