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Blood donation

Degree Project 2024

This project investigates, through a design process, how young adult non-blood donors in Sweden can be encouraged to donate blood. With only 3% of the population regularly donating blood and a majority of elderly blood donors, there is a need to attract young adults to blood donation. Through a design process and an interdisciplinary methodology, the project presents a concept to encourage blood donation among young people in an environment not associated with blood donation. By combining physical furniture, interactivity and digital reminders, the project aims to bridge the gap between will and action among young non-blood donors. The presented solution includes a seating furniture, an interactive screen and informative messages. By examining the specific challenges and limitations of today's blood donation system in Sweden, this project offers a practical solution to encourage blood donation with the hope of increasing blood donor numbers among young adults in Sweden.

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Project information

Blood is constantly needed, but currently, only 3% of the Swedish population donates blood. More people need to donate blood to meet the continuous demand, and it´s therefore necessary to examine the blood donation process with particular attention to today's young adults, with the hope of encouraging the next generation of potential blood donors.

With the need to attract young blood donors the project has been focused on getting an understanding of today’s blood donating systems, processes, and donors themselves. What are the pros and cons of blood donation today?

Method

By visiting various blood centrals and a bloodmobile the project has investigated the process of donating blood. By interviewing both young adults and experts within motivation, the relationship and attitude to blood donation have been examined. One of the main reasons for not donating blood today was revealed as the simple yet difficult answer forgetting to do so. This led to the focus question of this project: How might we bridge the gap between willingness and decision to donate blood among young non- blood donors?

Result

The result is an inviting interactive installation aimed for public places such as university foyers, that are not related to blood donation in firsthand. During the project, it has become clear that blood donation engages. People have expressed great interest and have reflected on their own relation to blood donation. It is evident that there is goodwill, and that everyday life for many people falls between donating blood or not. Blood donation needs exposure, and with this installation, I want to highlight blood donation in a more everyday setting. By sitting down on the pouffe, receiving information, and then, on their own initiative, taking a step closer to donating blood through informative notices that follow a meaning-making process starting from emotion, followed by understanding and evaluation, this installation invites people to become blood donors in their own pace. The steps don’t need to be taken all at once; instead, with the installation’s placement, individuals are reminded every time they are in the environment, with the aim of attracting blood donors to save lives.