Why is it that so few people give blood or are on the organ donor register (UK)?

Why don't people want to do these things? Especially organ donation as that doesnt affect your life in any way...

I believe it is a personal choice, I give blood as i am B positive, I am also on the bone marrow transplant reg, i have left my innards to ever who wants them, Over the years I have donated over 50 pints of blood.
Your question is very deep, peoples beliefs are precious to them, think of all the people that want to donate, blood and organs can not because of health issues and religion.
Two questions for you do you give Blood/plasma are you on the donor register,
As my friend can not give blood anymore every other pint i donate i do it for her.

Fear probably. They don't like the idea that they will be hacked up into little pieces when the are dead. Maybe many people equate it with mumification idk. I'm an organ donor.

i don't know where to get done

i give blood but am too young to think about organ donation just now...
that kinda freaks me out knowing am planning things for when am dead

Its sad, especially for ethnic groups whos chances of organ donation are tiny compared to that of the Caucasian population.
I discussed organ donation with my kids and told them that I wanted to donate my organs if I died. They both said they wanted to be donors too. They wer 15 and 12 at the time. If more poarents were to do this kids would grow up accepting at as an altruistic thing to do....;

I dont know about organs perhaps just laziness.

But as for blood personally I hate needles.

But I know others who have wanted to donate blood but couldnt because they had certain illnesses with the past couple of weeks or other who had visited certain countries within the past couple of years, etc.

Then others because the blood service didnt lay on enough beds and they would have had to queue for around 2 hours, (So I guess laziness again)

Edit:

Any idea why my Qs have not been answered?
(They are similar as I thought since the first Q didnt post the second one might!)

http://uk.answers.yahoo.com/question/ind...

http://uk.answers.yahoo.com/question/ind...

Is this censorship? Are Yahoo suppressing freedom of speech?!
And deducting points for nothing!

I'm on the organ donor register - if you're not using stuff anymore, why hang on to it?
I've never given blood because I'm terrified of needles and don't even like people touching the insides of my elbows, let alone sticking things in them. If this wasn't such a serious phobia, I would do it.

I went to give blood, they did the tests, and the nurse said, Malcolm I think you should go and see a doctor!
I didnt go, too tired

There are many ppl that cannot give blood more than anything more medical reasons ........ there must be thousands of ppl pregnant at the same time in the UK for a start . asma sufferers cannot give ........ biabetics etc (that translates into a whole lot of ppl that cannot give blood for one reason or another)

I think you need to look into this

As for organ donation I think it is a fear by families of their loved ones being cut up

You're asking 2 different questions. One problem with giving blood is that it takes half a day by the time you get done.

I give blood and very proud of everytime I am called upon to do it. I have a limited blood type (O negative) so everytime I do donate, I feel that little bit more special cos I know its gonna come in the best use.

I think more people should donate - you never know when you may need a spare pint!

Some people have the attitude that they were born with these organs so they will die and be burried with them. One of my friends is just like that. Hoever im on the organ donar register for when i no longer need my body. They can have ANYTHING of mine that they like. I cant however give blood as ive been told i dont weigh enough. Im only 7 stone. But if i weighed more then i certainly would

although i am on the doner register, i admit i have never given blood, i guess its the fear of the unknown lol.

I might think about it but i dont ant to go into hospital and catch MRSA

some dont because of religious reasons,others may be so vain that they want to look good even when thier dead. some people are terrified of having a blood test ,never mind giving blood

When I went to give blood I was bruised when they put the needle in- the one nurse said I had dancing veins. I managed 1 donation out of 4 attempts so I just gave up trying. It seemed pointless wasting time when my blood is perfectly happy staying where it is.

My sister took me to give blood, cos she was a blood donor. I went twice and after i started to keel over and felt really sick and dizzy, both times. We sat for about half an hour after with a drink, but it made no differance, i still felt bad, on the bus going home i was feeling really sick. So it put me off going. My sister can't go any more as she has thyroid problems and her doc said not to go. I do carry a donor card. But it's not your decision what people do with their lives is it.?

Because I don't trust the medical profession to behave honourably. I feel that if I were in hospital badly injured and someone younger needed spare parts they might not be too squeamish to use mine if I was in a 50/50 condition, especially if some other incentive was involved.
PS I used to give blood until I was told I was too old.

I cannot give blood as I am Anaemic. Also I am on the organ donor register. Just dont like the idea of helping it, cause I would be dead. And I really dont want to die. I would miss my boys too much.

I think primarily there is a general lack of awarness of the need for donation, and also people don't know how to go about donating or signing up for donation.

Second, there are countless fears that people have in regards to donation, including fear of needles, fear based on urban myths surrounding blood and organ donation (myths like you can get AIDS, the doctors won't work as hard to save you, they'll remove your organs if you're alive in a coma, etc).

When people become acquainted and educated about the issue, I see them be very willing to donate and are more proactive about finding out how they can sign up.