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Does Religiosity Predict Blood Donation in Brazil?

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Abstract

The aim of this study was to investigate the association of religiosity with blood donation in a representative/stratified sample of primary healthcare users of Ribeirão Preto, São Paulo, Brazil. A cross-sectional study was conducted using the Duke University Religious Index—DUREL (dimensions: organizational, non-organizational, and intrinsic religiosity). Odds ratios adjusted by sex and age were used as measures of association. A total of 1055 individuals participated (79.7% females; mean age = 40.6 years); 23.3% had previously donated blood. Most reported having a religion and grew up in a religious environment. High frequencies of religiosity were observed. Similar DUREL scores were observed among participants who donated blood and those who did not. Family members and close friends had significant influence on participants’ blood donation practices. Religiosity was not directly associated with blood donation despite the high prevalence and scores of religiosity. However, possible associations between religion and blood donation should consider mediating variables in future studies.

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Acknowledgements

We would like to thank the Blood Systems Research Institute (BSRI) and the University of California, San Francisco’s International Traineeships in AIDS Prevention Studies (ITAPS), U.S. NIMH, R25MH064712, and the Starr Foundation Scholarship Fund for the partnership in the discussion of our results and preparation of the present manuscript.

Funding

This study was funded by São Paulo Research Foundation (FAPESP) (Grants: #2014/14020-6; #2016/19252-8) and Brazilian National Council for Scientific and Technological Development (Grant: #305942/2012-3).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Social Medicine, Ribeirão Preto Medical School, University of São Paulo – USP, Avenida Bandeirantes 3900, Monte Alegre, Ribeirão Preto, São Paulo, CEP 14049-900, Brazil

    Miriane Zucoloto & Edson Martinez

  2. Blood Systems Research Institute, San Francisco, CA, USA

    Thelma Gonçalez & Brian Custer

  3. Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, University of California San Francisco – UCSF, San Francisco, CA, USA

    Willi McFarland

Authors
  1. Miriane Zucoloto
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  2. Thelma Gonçalez
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  3. Willi McFarland
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  4. Brian Custer
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  5. Edson Martinez
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Correspondence to Miriane Zucoloto.

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The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

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All procedures performed in studies involving human participants were in accordance with the ethical standards of the institutional and/or national research committee and with the 1964 Helsinki declaration and its later amendments or comparable ethical standards.

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Informed consent was obtained from all individual participants included in the study.

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Zucoloto, M., Gonçalez, T., McFarland, W. et al. Does Religiosity Predict Blood Donation in Brazil?. J Relig Health 61, 2083–2101 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10943-019-00802-0

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10943-019-00802-0

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