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Why don't more people give blood?

It's a mystery, isn't it? Anyone would throw a life preserver to a drowning man, but only five percent of the eligible population will save a life by donating blood.

There are various reasons people have given in surveys and questionnaires both about why they do or do not donate blood. Comparing some of the reasons given both by donors and non-donors reveals some interesting insights.

One reason often given by non-donors is that they don't think about it. It just hasn't crossed their minds. Donors, in contrast, cite personal experience as a reason why they donate. A loved one has had their lives saved by donated blood. They've seen the unit of blood hanging from the IV stand while visiting a cancer patient. Events in their lives have made them aware of the importance of blood donation. Statistics show that the recognition that blood is needed is true and relevant. One fourth to one third of the population will receive blood in their lifetimes. Surgery patients need two-six units, routinely. Accident victims can require twenty units.

In times of great calamities, such as hurricane Katrina, blood donations rise. Urgent needs jolt people into motion.

An interesting statistic gives a clue as to why many people don't donate. Ninety-four percent of donors are registered voters. While that may mean that they have a greater sense of civic duty, it's possible that they just think that what they do counts. An excuse often given for not voting is that the vote doesn't count anyway. Maybe the difference is that blood donors who are registered voters believe that their one vote, or one pint of blood, will make a difference. It also means that registered voters are probably a good place to look for potential donors.

Some people still believe that it's possible to contract a disease from blood donation. A new needle is used for each donor, then discarded. While there exists a small risk from receiving blood, it is not possible to get an infectious disease from giving blood.

Experienced donors already know that they will be accepted, while potential donors are easily scared away. They often feel that they may not fit the requirements and that their blood is not good enough. They may not know that they can donate if they are seventeen years old and weight at least one hundred and ten pounds. A simple check of the Red Cross site http://www.redcross.org/en/eli gibility gives the information needed to know what questions will be asked. The process is

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