ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Although the number of blood donors has been rapidly increasing in Togo since 2003, it is nevertheless insufficient to cover the demand. OBJECTIVES: To increase needed blood donation in Togo, it is necessary to understand why most people are reluctant to do it. METHODS: A sample of 400 adult volunteers in Lomé, mostly university educated, rated, on a scale of 0-10, the relevance to them of a comprehensive list of reasons that might deter people from donating blood. The ratings of 250 participants were subjected to factor analysis, and the resulting factorial structure was confirmed on the ratings of the other 150 participants. RESULTS: The resulting six factors were labelled (in order of their ratings of a representative sample of items): Lack of Courage and Lack of Information (mean 5·43 of 10), Concerns about the Use of Blood (4·72), Risk Aversion (4·37), Fear of Medical Settings (2·41), Conformity with Tradition (1·88) and Indifference to Others and Hostility to the Procedure (1·69). CONCLUSION: To increase blood donation, a public information campaign should address the emotional-motivational barriers found even in the most educated segment of Togolese society.
