Developing a communication strategy for bone marrow donation among asian-americans on college campuses

Background: Almost 15,000 people in the U.S. each year develop diseases that require a bone marrow or blood cell transplant.  For Asian-Americans (AAs) and other minority groups, their best chances of finding a match are often someone of their own race or ethnicity. This study examined outreach efforts to AAs (Phase I) and the attitudes and beliefs that facilitate or serve as barriers to bone marrow donation in AA college students (Phase II). 

Methods: In Phase I, key informant interviews were conducted with three AA bone marrow recruitment groups in the U.S using a convenience sample drawn from a list of four AA recruitment organizations. In Phase II, key informant interviews were conducted with 11 student leaders of college based AA student organizations in the Boston area. Recruitment involved 66 email solicitations, and a stratified sampling frame was used. Data analysis for both phases was focused on identifying patterns and variations in interview responses.

Results: Barriers to donation among AA college students included parental influence, medical concerns and misinformation, and student convenience. The level of knowledge was generally low. Higher participation was found among blood donors, organ donors, and members of faith communities, despite substantial interest in the topic among students. Student leaders indicated a preference for working collaboratively with other AA campus organizations if outreach activities were implemented.

Conclusions: Many complex factors affect AA college students' decisions to donate. Awareness raising activities will likely attract more interest if tailored towards AA college students' specific needs.