Examining prosocial tendencies in men who have sex with men: Potential impacts on blood donation following the 2023 reform

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Men who have sex with men (MSM) historically faced legal restrictions in accessing blood donation systems. While recent policy changes aim to reduce discriminatory barriers, empirical evidence on prosocial engagement patterns among MSM remains limited. This study examines whether MSM differ from heterosexual men in their prosocial engagement in monetary donations, in-kind support, caretaking and volunteering, and whether these differences vary across age. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We rely on data from the Socio-Economic Panel (SOEP), which is a representative survey of the German population. MSM are compared to heterosexual men with respect to prosocial behaviour using propensity score matching. We estimate regression models, including interaction terms between sexual orientation and age, to assess the differences in prosocial engagement. RESULTS: MSM exhibit a higher likelihood of engaging in money donations and in-kind support compared to heterosexual men. When accounting for interaction effects of sexual orientation and age, we find differences in in-kind support, caretaking and the amount of monetary donations. These differences decrease with increasing age. Although a higher proportion of MSM is engaged in in-kind support, there are no differences in the amount of money donated for in-kind support. We find no differences between the groups with respect to volunteering. CONCLUSION: MSM represent a relevant target group for non-profit engagement, particularly in the domains of financial (amount) and in-kind contributions (likelihood). Blood establishments should leverage recent reforms to build trust through inclusive communication and diversity training. Alternative engagement channels can enhance social participation for those deferred for medical reasons.