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Beyond willingness to donate: a cross-sectional online survey to understand urgent blood-donor mobilisability among digitally reachable adults in Ghana

Year: 2026

Type: preprint

Abstract: ABSTRACT Objectives To identify factors associated with anticipated engagement in urgent blood-donor mobilisation among digitally reachable adults in Ghana. Background Digital tools may facilitate contact with potential blood donors during emergencies and blood shortages, but digital reachability does not ensure engagement with urgent requests. Methods We conducted a cross-sectional online survey across Ghana’s 16 regions (September 2025–January 2026), recruiting participants via Facebook advertising and snowball sampling. Factors associated with urgent blood-donor mobilisability were assessed under four criteria: future-donation willingness; willingness to install a trusted donation app; willingness to respond to a trusted urgent-request; and practical flexibility to leave current activities. Descriptive analyses and multivariable logistic regression examined prevalence and associated factors. Results Of 1,067 respondents, 577 (54.1%) met all four criteria, compared with 91.8% reporting high future-donation willingness. Trusted-app installation willingness (83.2%) and trusted-request response willingness (82.7%) exceeded practical flexibility (66.6%). High mobilisability was associated with formal health-system trust (AOR 3.95, 95% CI 2.08–7.50), digital-response readiness (AOR 2.26, 1.66–3.08), donation knowledge (AOR 1.42, 1.03–1.97) and previous donation (AOR 1.47, 1.08–2.01). Women (AOR 0.60, 0.43–0.83), those with work-schedule barriers (AOR 0.43, 0.29–0.66) and those reporting >30-minute night-time travel to the nearest healthcare facility (AOR 0.66, 0.45–0.96) had lower adjusted odds. Conclusions Digital reachability and stated donation willingness may overestimate the population pool available for emergency donation. Digital blood-donor solutions should consider verifiable health-system requests, account for digital-response readiness and current availability, and connect willing individuals with accessible collection options and transport support where needed.

Source: medRxiv

DOI: 10.64898/2026.08.27.26361538

Authors: Honghui Shen, Isaiah Awintuen Agorinya, Martin Amogre Ayanore, Markus Brede, Adriane Chapman, Michael Head