Study examines effects of entertainment on blood donation

By Carmen Pease

Some people go for the free orange juice. Some go for the quick cash. Now, some may start donating blood to catch a flick.

Blood drive set for Dec. 2 Facilities and Auxiliaries is hosting a blood drive Dec. 2 from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Ping Center. The drive is open to all University employees and the general public. To schedule appointments, prospective donors should contact the Facilities Management Customer Service Center at (740) 593-2911. Prospective donors will be asked for their name, phone number, blood type and date of birth when scheduling appointments. If you forget to call ahead, don't worry -- walk-ins are welcome. Donor criteria: You must be at least 17 years of age. You must weigh a minimum of 110 pounds. You must be in generally good health. You may donate once every 56 days. You may not donate if you have a cold or the flu.

Christopher France, a professor of health psychology at Ohio University, has spent the past 15 years endeavoring to improve blood donation's startling statistics. Recently, he completed a study aimed at first-time, young adult and teenage donors to see how music and movies ameliorated the donation process.

Even though less than 1 percent of first-time donors actually faint and only 20 percent experience mild reactions, France believes that it is this fear that keeps most people from donating or returning.

According to the American Association of Blood Banks, fewer than 5 percent of healthy Americans donate blood. France said that this translates to an average of 1.6 donations per person during a lifetime.

Since the typical donor is middle-aged, France said, "This is a concern because if that population drops out, then there's a potential problem on the horizon. It's a problem because the need for blood gets larger as the population ages, and the amount of people who are entering the system to become committed donors is getting lower."

In an attempt to make the experience as pleasurable as possible and encourage repeat donors, France has pursued various studies, from monitoring the effects of caffeine to seeing how muscle tension prevents these intimidating reactions.

In his most recent study, he found that music and movies provided a distraction for donors. For those who prefer to be sidetracked during stressful situations and who "just want to get (the procedure) over with," this proved successful in reducing the number of reactions like fainting, dizziness and nausea, because, France believes, that it kept their minds off the fear.

"Our goal really is to try and develop different kinds of things people can choose from and choose the one that makes the most sense for them."

By investigating and developing these sundry methods, France is relentless in his passionate fight to invigorate the population and transform blood donation's faltering future.

Carmen Pease is a student writer with University Communications and Marketing.