Religiousness and blood donation: findings from a national survey

J Health Psychol. 2010 Mar;15(2):163-72. doi: 10.1177/1359105309345171.

Abstract

Religions instruct individuals to engage in prosocial behaviors. Previous studies are lacking on a positive relation between religiousness and blood donation. We tested this hypothesis using a national survey of 7611 women and 4282 men aged 18-44 years. In women, positive associations of childhood religious affiliation, current affiliation and attendance with blood donation were seen on bivariate analysis but were no longer significant when socio-demographic variables were controlled for. Religiousness was not associated with history of blood donation in men, with the exception of higher donation rates in Catholic men aged 35-44.

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Age Factors
  • Blood Donors / psychology*
  • Catholicism
  • Female
  • Health Surveys
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Red Cross
  • Religion and Psychology*
  • Sex Factors
  • Social Behavior
  • Social Conformity
  • United States
  • Young Adult