Community-based Communication for Blood Donation in Ghana

Study Overview
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Brief Summary
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A randomized controlled trial to evaluate the effectiveness of the WhatsApp groups or docudrama compared to a control group (usual engagement with blood services) on repeat blood donation attempts among first-time blood donors in Ghana. Secondary outcomes will be blood donor retention, blood donation knowledge, attitudes, beliefs, motivations, intention to donate, and relatedness as potential mediators of blood donation behavior among first-time blood donors. The RCT will have three arms: 1. WhatsApp; 2. docudrama; 3. control. Each participant in the WhatsApp and docudrama arms will receive the intervention for 14 months. Participants in the control arm will receive standard national blood donation communications and be followed for 14 months. Actualized blood donation is possible every four months using NBSG guidelines; consequently, participants may make multiple blood donation attempts. Return blood donation attempts will be evaluated using the Southern Zonal Blood Center (SZBC) records (primary outcome) and participant self-report (secondary outcome) at 7 months and 14 months. Secondary measures will be evaluated at baseline, 7 and 14 months from enrollment. The duration of the RCT will be 26 months allowing for 12 months to achieve enrollment goals and 14 months of follow-up for the last individual enrolled.

Official Title
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Community-based Communication Interventions for Increasing Repeat Donation Among First- Time Blood Donors in Ghana: A Pragmatic Type 1 Effectiveness- Implementation Hybrid Trial

Conditions
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Increase Repeat Blood Donation Attempts Among First-time Donors

Intervention / Treatment
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* Behavioral: WhatsApp
* Behavioral: docudrama


Participation Criteria
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Eligibility Criteria
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Inclusion Criteria: At least 18 years-old First-time whole blood donor with the SZBC of the NBSG Eligible to donate again at the time of eligibility confirmation Consent to participate Understands one of English, Twi, or Ga Have a smart phone Have, or be willing to sign up for an active WhatsApp account Be willing to watch a docudrama on blood donation in a group setting Exclusion Criteria: History of more than one lifetime whole blood donation (with any blood center)

Ages Eligible for Study
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Minimum Age: 18 Years
Maximum Age: 65 Years

Sexes Eligible for Study
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All

Accepts Healthy Volunteers
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Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Study Plan
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How is the study designed?
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Design Details

Primary Purpose: Health Services Research
Allocation: Randomized
Intervention Model: Parallel Assignment
Interventional Model Description: parallel 3 arm randomized controlled study with equal allocation
Masking: None (Open Label)


Arms and Interventions

| Participant Group/Arm | Intervention/Treatment |
| --- | --- |
| Experimental: WhatsApp<br>Participants assigned to the WhatsApp arm will receive messages, audios, images and videos in a moderated, closed WhatsApp group over a 14-month duration. The messages aim to motivate blood donation, encourage participants to discuss their blood donation experiences, and allow them to share their motivations for donating blood. | Behavioral: WhatsApp<br>* Participants assigned to the WhatsApp arm will receive messages, audios, images and videos in a moderated, closed WhatsApp group over a 14-month duration. The messages aim to motivate blood donation, encourage participants to discuss their blood donation experiences, and allow them to share their motivations for donating blood.<br>|
| Experimental: docudrama<br>Participants randomized to this arm will meet three times (Month 2; Month 5 and Month 10), in a group setting, during the intervention. Each group will have a maximum of 20-40 participants. This is a stand-alone activity, which is not associated with a donation event. During each meeting, participants will be asked to watch, in the group setting, an episode of drama, lasting 15 minutes. The docudrama on blood donation will address participant's concerns regarding blood donation and address common donor fears. | Behavioral: docudrama<br>* Participants randomized to this arm will meet three times (Month 2; Month 5 and Month 10), in a group setting, during the intervention. Each group will have a maximum of 20-40 participants. This is a stand-alone activity, which is not associated with a donation event. During each meeting, participants will be asked to watch, in the group setting, an episode of drama, lasting 15 minutes. The docudrama on blood donation will address participant's concerns regarding blood donation and address common donor fears.<br>|
| No Intervention: control<br>standard of care for repeat blood donation | |

What is the study measuring?
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Primary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Proportion with a repeat donation attempt | The primary outcome for the RCT will be the number of blood donation attempts | 14 months |