Personality Traits of Blood Donors
Nowadays, there is a significant shortage of donated blood in the world. According to the recommendations oftheWHO,adequate and reliable supplyof safe donated blood can onlybe carried out on the base of regular voluntary non-paid donations. This particular category of donations is the safest from the point of view of the prospect of having infectious diseases that can be transmitted through blood. Recruiting and retaining the donors who make voluntary non-paid donations is a priority for the blood service on the way to achieving 100% voluntary non-paid donation of blood and its components. There are practically no studies on the personality traits of blood donors. At the same time, one can assume the existence of certain common personality constructs, personality traits that are the prerequisites for the start and development of donor career. The purpose of this study was to identify such personality traits. The study of the personal traits of blood donors using a set of psychodiagnostic methods was carried out on December 1, 2020 - March 30, 2021 at the CNPE “Kyiv Municipal Blood Center”. The study involved 2 groups of persons (a group of 35 primary donors and a group of 70 active donors) aged from 18 to 50 years, who made voluntary non-paid donations during the specified period. As a result of the analysis, a number of personality traits was identified, common both for active and primary donors, and those that distinguish primary blood donors from the active ones. The data analysis has demonstrated that there are the grounds for extending some of the findings to the general population. Comparison of the obtained results with the effect of age and gender factors confirmed that the identified personality traits of blood donors constitute a specific construct that has probably been formed before the start of the donor’s career and can be considered as its prerequisite. The results of the study have been used to develop practical recommendations for Kyiv City Blood Center regarding the strategy for recruiting and retaining blood donors, who make voluntary non- paid donations.