Search results

Abstract
Objectives of this study were to analyze characteristics influencing blood donation status, to identify anxieties and reasons for (non-)blood donation, and potential channels for future blood donation campaigns. A random population from Germany was interviewed using the online survey tool SoSci Survey. The access link to the questionnaire was distributed via snowball system and the Bavarian Red Cross. Statistical analysis was performed to identify factors influencing blood donation status. A total of 682 participants (27.3% blood donors) with a mean age of 33.4 and a standard deviation (SD) of 12.0 years were included into the analysis. Strongest factor associated with being blood donor was having a blood donor within family and friends (Odds ratio [OR]: 5.05 [95% confidence interval [95% CI]: 2.63; 9.70]; p≤0.001), whereas having anxiety related to blood donation was the strongest factor for being non-blood donor (OR: 0.11 [95% CI: 0.05; 0.21] p≤0.001). Other factors significantly influencing blood donor status were age, health-related quality of life, knowledge on blood donation, being an organ donor and having pre-conditions. Main anxieties avoiding blood donation were fear of physical consequences, and fear of the injection needle. Most frequently mentioned channels which should be used for blood donation campaigns were Instagram and free TV. Involving blood donors into campaigns to recruit new blood donors from their personal environment and to focus campaign content on physical benefits of blood donations might help to recruit new blood donors. In addition, running campaigns stronger on channels such as Instagram might increase their scope.

Background: Nepal is categorized as a country with 'concentrated' epidemic of HIV Nepal Red Cross Society, Blood Transfusion Service has implemented considerable efforts to supply the safe blood and blood products according to the increasing demand. A trend analysis might prove valuable to understand the outcome and appropriately plan for further improvements in providing safe blood supply. The study aimed to assess the trends of HIV seroprevalence over the six years in nationwide and in urbanized setting of Kathmandu Valley.Methods: This is a retrospective study conducted among Nepalese blood donors through the years 2001-2007. Serum samples were tested using third generation ELISA tests, strictly following the instructions of manufacturers. The donors' information was collected through the donor record register through the respective Blood Transfusion Services.Results: The overall seroprevalence of HIV among the total blood donors in nation wide and in Central Blood Transfusion Service (CBTS), Kathmandu through the six years of review (from 2001-2007) was 0.33% and 0.4% respectively. A significant decreasing trend in HIV seroprevalence was observed both in nationwide and in Central Blood Transfusion Service, Kathmandu (P< 0.001).Conclusion: The analysis of trends in HIV seroprevalence among blood donors through the year 2001- 2007 showed a significantly decreasing trend, probably due to the cumulative effect of increasing awareness of HIV and improved screening system for safe blood donation. However, an abrupt increase in demand of blood supply was associated with significant increase in seroprevalence in the year 2005/2006. Key words: Nepalese blood donors; Seroprevalence; Trends.doi: 10.3126/jnhrc.v6i2.2203Journal of Nepal Health Research Council 2008 Oct;6(13): Page: 93-97

Blood Donors and the Supply of Blood and Blood Products -- Copyright -- PRESENTERS -- FOREWORD -- PREFACE -- Contents -- I CURRENT STATE OF THE BLOOD SUPPLY -- Longitudinal Studies of Blood Availability -- QUESTIONS AND COMMENTS -- Blood Supply Fluctuations -- QUESTIONS/COMMENTS -- When Should Physicians Transfuse? -- QUESTIONS/COMMENTS -- International Perspectives on Blood Availability -- QUESTIONS/COMMENTS -- II ENHANCING COLLECTIONS -- The Delaware Plan -- QUESTIONS/COMMENTS -- Markets and the Blood Supply -- QUESTIONS/COMMENTS -- Blood Donor Attitudes and Behavior -- QUESTIONS/COMMENTS -- III ENHANCING DISTRIBUTION -- American Red Cross Blood Distribution System -- QUESTIONS/COMMENTS -- Blood Resource Sharing Programs -- QUESTIONS/COMMENTS -- Exporting Blood from a Regional Blood Center -- QUESTIONS/COMMENTS -- Supply and Demand in Transfusion Services -- QUESTIONS/COMMENTS -- Logistic Problems and Perishables: The Kroger Company and Supermarket Seafood -- QUESTIONS/COMMENTS -- IV EXPANDING THE ALTERNATIVES -- Frozen Red Cell Technology -- QUESTIONS/COMMENTS -- Logistical Concerns in Prepositioning Frozen Blood -- QUESTIONS/COMMENTS -- Extended Liquid Storage of Red Blood Cells -- QUESTIONS/COMMENTS -- Overview of Blood Substitutes -- V CLOSING REMARKS -- Henrik H. Bendixen Chair, Forum on Blood Safety and Blood Availability -- Harvey Klein Workshop Moderator -- APPENDIXES -- A Acronyms -- B Workshop Participants.

The AABB donor history questionnaire / Sheila F. O'Brien, and Sharon Carayiannis -- Blood donors with cardiovascular disease / Kathleen M. Grima -- Blood donors with impaired hemostasis / Maria De Los Angeles Muniz, and Ralph R. Vassallo -- Blood donors with a history of cancer / Anne F. Eder -- Medications and vaccinations / Kevin J. Land -- Blood donors with hereditary hemochromatosis / Kamille A. West -- HIV risk factors / Mindy Goldman -- Hepatitis risk factors / Roger Y. Dodd -- Travel and related health history : malaria, prions, and other transfusion-transmissible diseases / Louis M. Katz and Bryan R. Spencer -- Donor notification and postdonation information / Debra Kessler -- Donor reentry / Anne F. Eder.

Background: Detection of specific antibodies to Treponema pallidum in serum is correlated with present or past Syphilis. The study aimed to know the seroprevalence of syphilis among blood donors in relation to age, sex, type of donation and times of donation.Methods: A total of 24,000 blood donors were screened to detect the presence of specific antibodies against T. pallidum by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) according to standard test kit protocol. Initially reactive samples were reconfirmed by repeat testing and repeatedly reactive samples were considered seropositive for Syphilis.Results: The seroprevalence of specific antibodies to T. pallidum among blood donors was found 0.42% (95% CI= 0.3-0.5%). There was an increasing trends of syphilis as the age of the donors increased (Cochrane-armitage test, P < 0.001). The seroprevalence in males was 0.45% and in females was 0.24% (P >0.05), in first time donors was 0.36% and in repeated donors was 0.48% (P > 0.05), among volunteer donors was 0.41% and among replacement donors was 0.50% (P > 0.05).Conclusion: The similar seroprevalence in first time and repeat donors as well as in volunteer and replacement donors urges the need of more effective donor education and counselling. Key words: Blood donors; Seroprevalence; Specific treponemal antibodies; Syphilis.doi: 10.3126/jnhrc.v6i2.2212Journal of Nepal Health Research Council, 2008 Oct;6(13): Page: 98-101

Because of their expertise in working with volunteers, social workers may be called on to provide consultation to organizations that are not traditional social service agencies. Unpaid volunteer donors provide the vast majority of this country's blood supply; however, many donors give only once, and few think of themselves as regular, committed donors. The purpose of this study was to determine if special letters of request or incentives would increase blood donations during a 14-month study period. One thousand first-time donors were randomly assigned to one of three intervention groups or the control condition. On average, first-time donors gave 1.89 donations, and there were no statistically significant differences among the groups. The conclusion was drawn that the interventions were too passive.

BACKGROUND: The importance of blood safety in public health was recognized long ago, and data are essential to plan strategies to improve the status. This study aims to obtain data on blood donor and blood donation characteristics that would complement blood safety data from national and international organizations. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A questionnaire was sent to seven Francophone countries (Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Congo, Ivory Coast, Mali, Niger, and Rwanda) and was structured to obtain objective data on blood donors and donated blood and in administrative and technical organization. RESULTS: The results reflect a poor level of organization of blood transfusion centers in large regions of the African continent, insufficient supply of blood products, high prevalence of transfusion-transmitted infections, limited financial resources, a lack of well-trained personnel, and cultural obstacles. Six countries had less than 50% of their personnel trained in transfusion medicine. Only one country had the entire standard operating procedure written. Female donors represented less than 30% of the donors and the range of percentage of hepatitis B found in donors was 2.76% to 18.96%. CONCLUSION: The inclusion of these regions in future blood safety surveys and in the development of national blood transfusion programs is essential and will undoubtedly require the assistance of international organizations. © 2009 American Association of Blood Banks.

Objectives: To characterize the profile of donors and donations of blood in a service of hemotherapy. Methods: Descriptive study, retrospective, exploratory and quantitative approach conducted at the Blood Center Public Natal/RN. The data was collected after signing term of consent by the director of the institution by a structured form and was used as the source database of the institution. Inclusion criterion was persons who donated blood in 2010 and 2011.The data collected were organized in Microsoft Excel 2007, transferred to SPSS (20.0), analyzed using descriptive statistics and presented in the form of tables. Results: Have prevailed men, older than 29 years and two complete high school. The donations were concentrated on the types of spare and return and more donated blood type was "O" Positive. Conclusion: It is evident then that the capture and fidelity of donors requires a constant work to awareness of the population and a quality service.

Background: We explore the roles of trust, distrust, and the prevailing socio-political context to better understand why people from ethnic minority communities are less likely to be blood donors compared to people from White communities. Recruiting more ethnic minority donors will enhance representativeness, reduce inequality, and help meet the clinical need to increase the proportion of blood with Ro Kell antigen to treat Sickle Cell Disease (SCD).Study Design and Methods: A 2 (Donor-Status: current vs non-donors) by 4 (Ethnicity: White vs, Asian, vs Mixed Race vs Black people) quasi-experiment (N = 981) was conducted to examine perceptions of trust/distrust and their influence on willingness to donate blood, within the socio-political context of the Windrush scandal and Brexit.Results: We identified five domains of trust ('National Health Service [NHS] and staff', 'NHS Blood and Transplant', 'outgroups', 'individuals', and 'politics'), and a single domain of conditional distrust domain. Trust across all the domains was lower, and 'conditional distrust' higher for ethnic minorities. Trust in 'individuals' and 'NHSBT' predicted willingness to donate in non-donors from ethnic minorities and White non-donors, respectively. Concerns about the Windrush scandal were related to lower political trust. Viewing Brexit as 'positive for the UK' was related to lower trust across domains and reduced willingness to donate in White non-donors through its influence on reduced trust in NHSBT.Conclusion: Distinct domains of trust and distrust are identified, and targeting 'trust in others' through conditional cooperation is recommended as a strategy to increase donor numbers from ethnic minority communities.

Background:Vasovagal reactions (VVR) are common among blood donors and are known to be inversely associated with donor weight. The relationship between VVR and BMI which adjusts donor weight for height is barely explored. Aim:To study the relationship between VVR and BMI. Method:All whole blood donors in Department of Transfusion medicine, Government Medical College, Thiruvananthapuram over 1 year were included in the study. Female and repeat donors were excluded. The weight and height of donors were collected from their donor registration forms. Donors who had reaction during donation and during post donation refreshment period including minor subjective feeling of uneasiness were tested for association with BMI. Results:BMI was inversely related with VVR, with 11.31% of donors with BMI30. The mean BMI of donors who had VVR was 22.4 where as donors who did not develop VVR were 22.9. Conclusion: BMI can be a significant predictor of VVR in donors who fulfill the weight criteria for whole blood donation.