Abstract

CASADO-NEIRA, David. Group closure and needs identification in blood and organ donation. Index Enferm [online]. 2005, vol.14, n.51, pp.45-49. ISSN 1699-5988.

Three moral values are within the blood and organ donation with therapeutical purpose: giving without obligation, altruism and solidarity. It seems than for donors unselfishness is something transcendental: blood save lives. Altruism and solidarity are present, but spending is under the pattern of reciprocity. Recruiting and keeping blood and organ spenders is an uncertain and complex process. How spenders live reciprocity can help us to understand rejections to donation. The research work is based on personal interviews and on the analyses of the material used in recruitment actions of blood and organ donors. Two kinds of reciprocity were discovered: focused and fuzzy reciprocity (according to how the community is conceived and which is its target). Focused reciprocity is characteristic of social systems based on tight personal relationships. Fuzzy reciprocity is characteristic of individualistic and anonymity based societies. This is a main point in spending, thus focused reciprocity is not compatible with donations with therapeutical purpose which are voluntary, altruist and anonymous. That what obstruct donation is the restricted exchange due to focused reciprocity. Having a common blood relation o biological heritage is not a main basis to reject donation, as it could be thought.