Stigmas, prejudices and myths in the pursuit of loyalty to blood donors and social representations.
Hemotherapy Service; Blood Donors; Anemia; Concept Formation; Nursing.
INTRODUCTION: The Social Representation is always a representation of an object or a subject constructed by man's relationship with the environment. One of the features of Social Representation is to transform something unknown to something known and familiar. This transformation reveals the interdependence of psychosocial reality whose structural and structuring elements are characteristic of its conceptual and figurative aspect. Data from World Health Organization and Ministry of Health of Brazil show that the amount of altruistic and loyal blood donors is insufficient to supply the current needs. Population growth, urban violence, accidents and diseases like cancer increase the demand for blood and blood products, exacerbating the problem. The blood donation ineligibility causes, including anemia, further worsen this situation. In the quest for a solution to the problem, the Ministry of Health of Brazil has changed the maximum age for blood donation in 2013 from 67 to 69 years. Recent advances in areas such as health, economy, labor, science, and technology increased the population longevity, also improving the quality and life expectancy of this age group. MAIN OBJECTIVE: analyze cultural aspects of blood donation – stigmas, prejudices and myths – in the pursuit of loyal and regular donors using the Social Representations theory. SECONDARY OBJECTIVES: evaluate anemia as a temporary ineligibility factor for blood donation; analyze the concept of "loyal blood donor". METHODS: It is a quantitative and qualitative descriptive exploratory study using tools of the Social Representations theory. The survey was conducted in HEMOVIDA Hemotherapy Service Ltd, a private institution located in Natal, State of Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil. The data of ineligibility from 2010 to 2015 were collected from the dedicated software Hemote Plus® using its Clinical Triage module. The method proposed by Walker and Avant was used to analyze the concept of "loyal blood donor". RESULTS: The ineligibility by anemia stands out with 51.47% among the most prevalent disabilities among female sex donors. 15 articles used for the analysis of the concept of " loyal blood donor". CONCLUSIONS: The ineligibility by anemia affects more the women due to menstruation blood loss, pregnancy and breastfeeding, as well as iron spoliation by blood donations. It is necessary to better conceptualize and universalize the concept of "loyal blood donor" to ensure adequate replenishment of stocks of blood and blood products.