Emotions experienced when receiving a temporary deferral: perspectives from staff and donors

Background and Objectives Temporary deferrals negatively impact on donor retention. However, little is known about why donors are deterred from returning. One unexplored area is the emotions experienced by donors when deferred. This study investigated these emotions from the perspectives of both the front‐line staff involved in applying deferrals and deferred donors themselves, with the aim of identifying which emotions impact on donors’ intention to return. Materials and Methods Telephone interviews were conducted with front‐line staff who apply deferrals ( n = 47) to explore perceived reasons for donor non‐return following a deferral. Findings informed a survey administered to donors who had received a temporary deferral 1 day prior ( n = 397). The questionnaire included items about donors’ emotional reactions to receiving the deferral and intention to re‐donate. Results Staff reported that donors frequently had negative emotional responses to being deferred–particularly anger, frustration and rejection. Exploratory factor analysis of 31 emotions assessed in the donor survey revealed six factors. Deferred donors’ intention to re‐donate was negatively associated with anger‐related emotions and positively associated with calm‐related emotions. The association between emotions and intention was moderated by whether the deferral was applied in‐centre or during the pre‐donation telephone call. Conclusion Emotional reactions to receiving a deferral impact on donors’ intention to re‐donate, particularly among those deferred in‐centre. Blood collection staff may be able to address donors’ emotional responses to help diminish the impact of being deferred on donors’ intentions to return.