Development and Evaluation of a Whiteboard Video to Support the Education and Recruitment of Unrelated Donors for Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation

Introduction Many patients in need of allogeneic stem cell transplantation do not have a suitable matching family donor, and require an alternative donor such as an unrelated donor. A needs-assessment survey performed in 05/2017 on 76 donor recruiters across Canada identified the need for online videos to support the education and recruitment of unrelated donors. Here, we describe the development and evaluation of whiteboard videos to meet this need. Methods We designed a whiteboard animation video series outlining the rationale for stem cell transplantation; principles of donor-recipient matching; donor registration process; and methods of donation. The script and storyboard were reviewed for accuracy by transplantation experts and for appeal by target donor demographics. A post-publication survey was conducted online in 02/2019 to learn donor recruiters’ perspectives on the videos’ utility. Focus groups were conducted to evaluate potential donors’ knowledge and attitudes prior to and after watching the videos. Results One long (209s) and four short (56-92s) videos were developed (Fig. 1-3) and published online in 09/2018 to stemcellclub.ca/promo.html. As of 09/2019, the videos had accrued over 10,000 views across social media. The post-publication feedback survey was completed by 34 donor recruiters from 7 provinces across Canada. Participants reported a median of 2.5 years’ experience in donor recruitment. 58% had already used this resource, and 89% agreed they will use it in the future. 82-100% agreed or strongly agreed that the videos will help raise awareness about stem cell donation, help educate potential donors, and help recruit the most-needed donors. Five focus groups were conducted including male potential donors (n=25) from eight different non-Caucasian ethnic groups. No participants were registered as donors or had a personal connection to donation; only 1 had previously been asked to register. Participants unanimously reported that the videos were appealing and helped them understand stem cell donation. Mean score on a 7 question knowledge test improved from 54% (pre-test) to 84% (post-test) (p Conclusion We have developed a whiteboard video series to support the education and recruitment of stem cell donors. The videos are relevant and accessible to a wide audience.