Selling blood: Characteristics and motivations of student plasma donors

This multimethod study examines selected characteristics and the motivational dynamics of remunerated blood plasma donation by U.S. university students. Ten percent of students surveyed reported selling plasma. In comparison to nondonors and nonremunerated student Red Cross donors, paid student plasma donors tended to be predominantly male and from higher income families and to have higher rates of employment while in school. They also exhibited greater rates of alcohol consumption and cigarette smoking. Drawing on focus-group and individual interviews, the authors describe the student plasma donation experience, with particular emphasis on motivational dynamics. Unlike nonremunerated Red Cross donors, plasma donors do not feel a strong identification with the altruistic aspects of the blood donor role. Rather, they are motivated to continue donating in order to secure an easy source of pocket money, which they tend to spend freely especially on social drinking in student bars. Among students willing to sell plasma more than a few times, self-deferral from long-term donation tended to result from growing concerns about the physical effects of continuing donation, increases in disposable income from other sources, or both. The article concludes with a discussion of the implications of the findings for social policy and for future research.