Beliefs underlying blood donors’ intentions to donate during two phases of an avian influenza outbreak

Masser, Barbara M.; White, Katherine M.; Hamilton, Kyra; McKimmie, Blake M.

Using a Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) framework the current study explored the beliefs of current blood donors (N = 172) about donating during a low and high-risk phase of a potential avian influenza outbreak. While the majority of behavioral, normative, and control beliefs identified in preliminary research differed as a function of donors’ intentions to donate during both phases of an avian influenza outbreak, regression analyses suggested that the targeting of different specific beliefs during each phase of an outbreak would yield most benefit in bolstering donors’ intentions to remain donating. The findings provide insight in how to best motivate donors in different phases of an avian influenza outbreak.