Determining Causes and Effect, Research Paper Example

Blood is the life force that keeps people living. Blood is circulated throughout the body by the heart, and its uses include transporting nutrients, removing waste, regulate hormones, and other important tasks. Since blood plays a pivotal role in everyone’s body, including through tests find diseases, infections, and other illnesses, blood is a vital necessity. Every few seconds patients throughout the country need blood, but only 3% of the population gives blood. In the past the number of blood donors was far less than it was today. Through successful campaigning on the importance of blood donations millions around the world have benefited. In the past 30 years many blood donations agencies have advertised though several campaigns geared at different demographics the importance of giving blood, which has been effective in blood drive outcomes, blood donations and donors, and the importance of blood screening.

The major cause of advertising is to have an increase in blood donors. Over the past several years there have been many natural disasters that have taken a toll on the population of the United States alone including, hurricanes, tornados, earthquakes, forest fires, and other disasters. From these natural disasters many individuals feel compelled and encourage to help people in need, and some of the most vital ways individuals could give were to donate blood. Having adequate blood supply on a regular basis is a difficult tasks accounting for the number of people who depend on blood transfusions. However, when natural disasters strike the supply of blood increases dramatically if only for a short period of time once the donor fatigue sets in. According to research, after September 11 attacks, there was a significant increase in return blood donors and first time donations. Blood donation agencies on-time advertisements on television commercials, and blood vans throughout the city help draw in millions of donors.
“All demographic groups donated more than usual after the attacks…” (Glynn, Busch, Schrieber, Murphy, Writght, Tu, Klienman, 2003) These causes of advertising during natural disasters has the effects that have been beneficial to blood agencies and patients, especially with the increase in returning donators that haven’t given in over 10 years and new donors who may not be educated on the importance of giving blood. The effects on people is the most significant, encouraging ordinary people to act selflessly in the time of need by donating a vital lifeline that has no monetary value.

In the past, the number of younger individuals donating blood has dwindled due to lack of involvement of advertisements geared toward them. After much consideration, many agencies started to realize the potential and the importance of targeting young people. In order to get young people involvement, agencies have promoted in schools that have encouraged students to form clubs and organizations to organize blood drives, educate on the importance of giving blood, and blood screening. Students organize blood drives in colleges, high schools, and part of their recruitment tactics in joining social clubs. Blood agency incentives have helped with getting younger people involved. According to research, “Donors in the United States are often recruited by widespread use of rewards or incentives for donating blood, which may include t-shirts, event tickets, or opportunity drawings for televisions and expensive cars.” (Abolghasemi, Hosseini-Divkalayi, Seighali, 2010) Incentives geared toward youth include community service opportunities, and donating blood in exchange of paying a fine. Advertising to youths have had the cause of students and youth getting directly involved in blood donating, giving students the opportunity to encourage their peers to save lives, and educate others on the importance of blood screening and donating blood. (See Ad 2) These effects lead to more blood donations and more donor volunteers educating first time donors.

Other leading causes of advertising has included the importance of blood screening and blood testing of diseases. Blood donation has increased the need for clean blood. 30 years ago the amount of blood donated was by paid donors, that weren’t screen to the extent it is now. Blood donations carried a large risk of containing transmitted diseases. Blood was tainted with HIV, Hepatitis B, Syphilis, and other diseases. During the 80’s, blood screening improved, and now it is rare that blood isn’t screen when donated. TTI (transfusion-transmission infections) has decrease substantially. “Active screening and hemovigilance programs are credited with having impacted the rate of TTIs.” (Strobl, 2011) The causes of advertising has helped with encouraging blood screen during donation process, which informs individuals with diseases that have might been long undetected. (See Ad 1) The testing has helped with documenting cases of serious infections and preventing millions of receiving tainted blood from the transfusions. These effects have not potentially saved the lives of the donors, but also the lives of patients the blood would have been used for. These effects have reached over to the economy as they have ensured people receive safer blood, which reduces the impact of lawsuits, medical costs and debts, and have driven economic growth by keeping patients safe.

In conclusion, advertisements in the past 30 years have had significant causes and effects. The causes of advertising during natural disasters have led to effects of increased in donations. Other causes of advertising include involving youths to target their peers, organize blood drives in colleges, high schools, and other areas. More importantly other causes have led to more individuals getting blood screen, and blood being tested to TTIs that has significantly led to decreased in tainted blood transfusions. These effects have also extended to the economy which has had positive effects. Overall advertisement for blood donations has had seemingly positive effects that is increasingly needed in order to keep up an adequate supply of blood for patients.

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References

Abolghasemi, Hassan, Hosseini-Divkalayi, Nasim, Seighali, Fariba. (2010). “Blood donor incentives: A Step forward or backward.” Asian Journal of Transfusion Science. Retrieved from http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2847338/

“Blood Donation Advertising Campaign.” (2010). Behance. Retrieved from http://www.behance.net/gallery/Blood-Donation-Advertising-Campaign/742974

Glynn, Simone, Busch, Michael, Schrieber, George, Murphy, Edward, Wright, David, Tu Yongling, Klienman, Steven. (2003). “Effect of a National Disaster on Blood Supply and Safety: The September 11 Experience.” Journal of the American Medical Association. Vol. 289. No. 17. Retrieved from http://jama.jamanetwork.com/article.aspx?articleid=196489

“San Jose Blood Bank: Blood Donation.” (2010). Ads of the World. Retrieved from http://adsoftheworld.com/media/dm/san_jose_blood_bank_blood_donation?size=_origina

Strobl, Frank. (2011). “NAT in Blood Screening Around the World.” Medical Laboratory Observer. Retrieved from http://www.mlo-online.com/articles/201104/nat-in-blood-screening-around-the-world.php