Work

Specificity versus inclusivity in blood donor appeals among ethnic minority communities: The risks of “othering”.

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: OBJECTIVES: Encouraging blood donation from ethnic minorities improves patient care, especially for conditions like sickle cell disease (SCD). Campaigns can be specific (highlighting sickle cell disease's prevalence in Black communities) or inclusive (emphasizing shared responsibility). This study evaluates the relative efficacy of specific versus inclusive campaigns to encourage Black blood donors in the United Kingdom. METHOD: (contextualized vs. not). Participants saw one of four messages (baseline, specific, inclusive, or mixed) and reported willingness to donate, perceived othering, and affect. Awareness of the need for well-matched blood was assessed as a moderator. RESULTS: Relative to baseline, specific and mixed messages significantly increased campaign response, but specific also increased perceived othering among Black participants. Among Non-Black participants, specific messages decreased campaign response relative to inclusive ones and elicited more othering. Mediation analysis confirmed that perceived othering reduces campaign response. Awareness of the need for well-matched blood moderated these effects: Participants aware of matching needs reported less othering and more positive reactions to specific messages. CONCLUSIONS: Specific campaigns can be effective, especially for Black audiences, but risk fostering perceived othering. Awareness of medical need mitigates these effects. To balance efficacy with inclusivity, campaigns should consider combining specific and inclusive messages alongside efforts to increase awareness. Findings generalize to other health contexts requiring demographically targeted messaging. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2026 APA, all rights reserved).

Source: Health Psychology

DOI: 10.1037/hea0001595