First-time Donors Research Articles

Prevalence, incidence, and residual risk for human immunodeficiency virus among blood donors from 2003 to 2022 in Guangzhou, China.

China's significant population affected by HIV poses a substantial threat to blood transfusion safety. Despite advancements in blood testing techniques, a residual risk of HIV transmission persists. Accurately assessing HIV epidemic and the residual risk is vital for monitoring blood supply safety and evaluating the effectiveness of new screening tests. We conducted a retrospective analysis of HIV detection results among voluntary blood donors from 2003 to 2022. The study included data on HIV-confirmed positive donors, HIV prevalence, infection risk factors, and an incidence-window period mathematical model to estimate the residual risk of HIV. Between 2003 and 2022, HIV prevalence among blood donors in Guangzhou showed a peak-shaped trend, initially increasing before declining. The overall HIV prevalence was 18.9 infections per 100,000 donations. Male donors had a significantly higher prevalence compared with female donors. Donors aged 26-35 years had the highest prevalence. Ethnic minority donors had a higher prevalence compared with Han donors. Repeat donors had a lower prevalence compared with first-time donors. Donors from other provinces had a higher prevalence compared with local donors. During the period of 2003 to 2022, the residual risk of HIV in Guangzhou steadily decreased, reaching a notable 1 in 526,316 donations in the past two years. The HIV epidemic among blood donors in Guangzhou remains severe, but the residual risk of HIV is decreasing. Novel detection methods have proven advantageous in reducing this residual risk. Implementing additional effective measures is imperative to ensure blood safety and curb the spread of HIV.

Related Factors of Syphilis Positive Rate in Blood Donors During the COVID-19 Epidemic.

In Shenzhen of China, the continuous increase of syphilis infections threatens the safety of blood transfusion. In 2020, COVID-19 was discovered and spread rapidly around the world, and affected the prevalence of syphilis among blood donors. From 2013 to 2020, there were 839,161 blood samples collected in the Shenzhen Blood Center. Blood samples were screened by ELISA tests and confirmed by the TPPA (Treponema pallidum particle agglutination) tests and the TRUST (toluidine red unheated serum tests). All data was analyzed by the chi-square test. From 2013 to 2020, the positive rate of syphilis among blood donors varied significantly among individuals in different ages, educational backgrounds, regions, and blood donation histories (P<0.001). In 2020, It was the first time that there were more repeat blood donors than first-time blood donors and more blood donors with a higher education level than those with a lower education level, and the lowest reactive and positive rate of syphilis among blood donors was observed. Compared to 2019, the prevalence of syphilis among female and repeat blood donors decreased significantly in 2020 (P<0.01). The prevalence of syphilis in blood donors is related to the characteristics of blood donors (in addition to gender) and the COVID-19 epidemic. COVID-19 can affect the prevalence of syphilis among blood donors by influencing the composition of blood donors and the number of syphile-positive donors in certain blood donors, including female and repeat blood donors.

Analysis of Erythrocyte Parameters in Multiple and Long-Term Blood Donors from Northern Pomerania (Poland)

Background/Aims: Assessment of the levels of vital blood parameters in donors is essential to evaluate their health status, ensure their suitability for donation, preserve the integrity of the circulatory system, and facilitate comprehensive health monitoring. The aim of our study was to analyse the levels of haemoglobin, haematocrit, erythrocyte count, MCV, MCH, and MCHC in 12 groups of first-time donors and experienced donors of both sexes at the John Paul II Regional Blood Donation and Treatment Centre in Słupsk, northern Poland. The donors were divided into three age groups (18-30 years, 31-45 years, and 46-65 years). Methods: Using MANOVA multivariate significance tests, we examined the main effects of donor-related factors (age, sex, donor stage) on morphological blood parameters to evaluate different haematological parameters, such as Hb, Ht, RBC, MCV, MCH, and MCHC, and identified statistically significant relationships between all variables. Results: The multivariate analysis of these three main factors showed that the variation in haemoglobin (Hb) levels accounted for 46% of the explained dependence in this statistical model. In particular, approximately half of the variability in the multivariate statistical analysis was attributed to the role of Hb and haematocrit (Ht). In addition, the β-coefficient values for Hb and Ht were statistically higher in relation to donor sex and donor type (single versus repeat). These β-coefficient values from our data represent the strength and direction of the relationship between the haematological parameters (Hb and Ht) and the specific donor characteristics. A higher β-coefficient indicates a stronger influence of donor sex and donor type on these parameters, suggesting that these factors contribute significantly to the variation in the Hb and Ht levels. Based on our results, the comprehensive analysis of the entire statistical model of metabolic biomarkers revealed the following hierarchy: Hb &gt; Ht &gt; MCHC &gt; MCV &gt; RBC &gt; MCH. The results obtained showed strong statistical relationships, as indicated by the high values of the key statistical indicators in our analysis. The coefficient of determination (R²) showed that the model explained a significant proportion of the variance in the data, while the F-test statistic confirmed the significance of the predictors. Conclusion: These strong statistical dependencies provided a clear justification for selecting this model over others, as it effectively represented the underlying relationships within the data. These statistics help to assess how well the model matches the actual data, thereby helping to reduce the risks associated with blood donation, optimise donor safety, and maintain the quality and efficiency of blood transfusion services.

The role of convalescent plasma and hyperimmune immunoglobulins in the COVID-19 pandemic, including implications for future preparedness.

When Coronavirus Disease-19 (COVID-19) struck the world in December 2019, initiatives started to investigate the efficacy of convalescent plasma, a readily available source of passive antibodies, collected from recovered patients as a therapeutic option. This was based on historical observational data from previous virus outbreaks. A scoping review was conducted on the efficacy and safety of convalescent plasma and hyperimmune immunoglobulins for COVID-19 treatment. This review included the latest Cochrane systematic review update on 30-day mortality and safety. We also covered use in pediatric and immunocompromised patients, as well as the logistic challenges faced in donor recruitment and plasma collection in general. Challenges for low resource countries were specifically highlighted. A major challenge is the high donation frequency required from first-time donors to ensure a safe product, which minimizes the risk of transfusion-transmitted infectious. This is particularly difficult in low- and middle- income countries due to inadequate infrastructure and insufficient blood product supplies. High-certainty evidence indicates that convalescent plasma does not reduce mortality or significantly improve clinical outcomes in patients with moderate to severe COVID-19 infection. However, CCP may provide a viable treatment for patients unable to mount an endogenous immune response to SARS-CoV-2, based on mostly observational studies and subgroup data of published and ongoing randomized trials. Convalescent plasma has been shown to be safe in adults and children with COVID-19 infection. However, the efficacy in pediatric patients remains unclear. Data on efficacy and safety of CCP are still underway in ongoing (randomized) studies and by reporting the challenges, limitations and successes encountered to-date, research gaps were identified to be addressed for the future. This experience serves as a valuable example for future pandemic preparedness, particularly when therapeutic options are limited, and vaccines are either being developed or ineffective due to underlying immunosuppression.

Stratified analysis of risk factors affecting vasovagal reactions in first-time whole blood donors: A regional multi-center donor hemovigilance data study

Background and objectivesVasovagal reactions (VVR) are the most common adverse reactions in blood donation. This study aimed to provide and analyze the data of the regional hemovigilance system in Chongqing, China from 2020 to 2022, report the prevalence and explore the risk factors of VVR. Materials and methodsR software (version 4.2.3) was used for all statistical analyses. Frequency and composition rates were used to describe the data of total donation, as well as data on the different types of ADR. The Chi-square test was used to analyze risk factors for VVR and inter-group comparisons of VVR stratified by gender (female/male), age (18–22; 23–29; 30–39; 40–49; 50–60) and season(Spring (Mar.-May.); Summer (Jun.-Aug.); Autumn (sep.-Nov.); Winter (Dec.-Feb.)). ResultsThe reported incidence rate of VVR was 8.69‰ during whole blood donations and 1.02‰ during platelet-apheresis donations.The stratified analysis revealed that female donors aged 18–22 years old and 30–39 years old were reported to have lower VVR rates than male donors, oppositely, higher in females in 50–60 years old. Statistically significant differences in the incidence rate of VVR were observed between winter and summer, and between winter and spring in 18–49 years old. No seasonal variation was found in 50–60 years old. ConclusionsThe reported incidence rate of VVR related to blood donation was very low and varied from those calculated by other haemovigilance systems. The higher prevalence of VVR in young, first-time donors, college students, donating in mobile vehicles, males and in spring. Among first-time donors, the prevalence of VVR was higher in males than in females; and stratified analysis revealed there were seasonal variation and gender differences within a same age group.

Epidemiology of Hepatitis C over 28 years of monitoring Canadian blood donors: Insight into a low-risk undiagnosed population

BackgroundHepatitis C is a blood-borne infection with the hepatitis C virus (HCV) that can progress to cirrhosis and liver cancer. About 70% (50–80%) of infections become chronic and exhibit anti-HCV and HCV nucleic acid (NAT) positivity. Direct acting oral pan genotypic antiviral treatment became available in 2014 and was free for most Canadians in 2018. Clinical screening for HCV infection is risk-based. About 1% of Canadians have been infected with HCV, with 0.5% chronically infected (about 25% unaware) disproportionately impacting marginalized groups. Blood donors are in good health, are deferred for risks such as injection drug use and can provide insight into the low-risk undiagnosed population. Here we describe HCV epidemiology in first-time blood donors over 28 years of monitoring.MethodsAll first-time blood donors in all Canadian provinces except Quebec (1993 to 2021) were analyzed. All blood donations were tested for HCV antibodies (anti-HCV) and since late 1999 also HCV NAT. A case-control study was also included. All HCV positive donors (cases) since 2005 and HCV negative donors (1:4 ratio controls) matched for age, sex and location were invited to complete a risk factor interview. Separate logistic regression models for anti-HCV positivity and chronic HCV assessed the association between age cohort, sex, region and neighbourhood material deprivation and ethnocultural concentration. Case: control data were analysed by logistic regression.ResultsThere were 2,334,238 donors from 1993 to 2021 included. Prevalence for anti-HCV was 0.33% (0.30,0.37) in 1993 and 0.07% (0.05,0.09) in 2021 (p < 0.0001). In 2021 0.03% (0.01,0.04) had chronic HCV. Predictors for both anti-HCV positivity and chronic HCV were similar, for chronic HCV were male sex (OR 1.8, 1.6,2.1), birth between 1945 and 1975 (OR 7.1, 5.9,8.5), living in the western provinces (OR 1.4, 1.2,1.7) and living in material deprived (OR 2.7, 2.1,3.5) and more ethnocultural concentrated neighbourhoods (OR 1.8, 1.3,2.5). There were 318 (35.4%) of chronic HCV positive and 1272 (39.6%) of controls who participated in case control interviews. The strongest risks for acquisition were injection drug use (OR 96.9, 22.3,420.3) and birth in a high prevalence country (OR 24.5, 11.2,53.6).ConclusionsBlood donors have 16 times lower HCV prevalence then the general population. Donors largely mirror population trends and highlight the ongoing prevalence of untreated infections in groups without obvious risks for acquisition missed by risk-based patient screening.

Analysis of hepatitis B Virus Test results among blood donors in Chongqing, China

BackgroundHepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is a major concern regarding blood safety in countries with a high HBV prevalence, such as China. We aimed to understand the prevalence of HBV infection among blood donors in Chongqing and provide an important basis for developing appropriate blood screening strategies.MethodsDual enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISAs) for hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) were conducted in parallel with nucleic acid testing (NAT) of donors. All HBsAg-reactive and/or HBV DNA-positive blood samples were tested for HBsAg and hepatitis B DNA levels.ResultsA total of 117,927 blood donor samples were collected from the Chongqing Blood Center between April 2020 and November 2020. In total, 473 HBV-ineligible samples were retained for HBsAg and DNA confirmation. A total of 272 samples were confirmed to be HBsAg+, including 2 HBV DNA − and 270 HBV DNA + samples. A total of 201 donations were HBsAg−, including 72 HBV DNA − samples. The rate of HBV infection was 65.33% (309/473) in men, which was significantly higher than that in women (p < 0.001). The HBV failure rate was higher among the first-time donors (p < 0.05). Of the 182 NAT R/HBsAg N/N samples (Nucleic acid test reactivity/2 anti-HBsAg tests negative), 37.91% (69/182) were false positives. The proportion of hepatitis B infections in the 18 NAT R/HBsAg N/R (Nucleic acid test reactivity/1 anti-HBsAg tests negative) samples was 94.44% (17/18), of which 50% (9/18) were occult HBV infection. A total of 95.83% (69/72) of the false positives were from the NAT R/HBsAg N/N group, and 58.33% (42/72) were first-time donors.ConclusionOur data showed a strikingly high HBV infection rate among blood donors in Chongqing. Double ELISA and single NAT can effectively prevent HBV leakage and improve blood safety. First-time donors have a high rate of HBV transplant failure; therefore, donors should be retained and recruited from low-risk groups.

The effectiveness of telephone surveys on the return of first-time donors: A randomized controlled trial.

The management of blood supply depends, among other factors, on the effective remobilization of first-time donors (FTDs). This study investigates the efficacy of telephone calls to increase second donation rates. A randomized controlled trial was conducted on 418 first-time blood donors. In the telephone group (TG, n = 206), men were contacted 9-10 and women 13-14 weeks after their first donation. They were asked about satisfaction and intention to return, and offered an appointment. The primary outcome was the return rate within 6 months after the first donation. The mean age was 28.8 ± 10.0 years and 59.9% of FTDs were female. In the TG, 89.3% were reached. Approximately 50% of each group had donated a second time by 24.2 weeks for the control group (CG) and 14.8 weeks for the TG. The six-month return rate was 65.0% in the TG and 54.3% in the CG (95%-CI [0.9%; 20.6%]; p = .033). The restricted mean time to return within 6 months was 19.4 weeks in the CG compared to 17.2 weeks in the TG (95%-CI [0.7; 3.7]; p = .004). The intervention effect tended to be larger in men than in women. Contacting FTDs by phone after their first donation increases the six-month return rate and reduces the interval to a second donation. Male donors appear to be more receptive to this intervention. Whether the effect of the intervention helps to establish a donor identity in the long term should be the subject of further studies.

Indicators of iron metabolism in regular donors of blood platelets and plasma

Introduction. The high frequency of medical withdrawals from donatio ns due to a decrease in hemoglobin levels and the negative impact on the motivation and return to donation of temporarily withdrawn individuals dictates the need to study the effect of exfusion of blood and its components on iron metabolism.Aim: to evaluate the iron metabolism indicators in regular donors of platelets and plasma.Materials and methods. 99 platelet donors and 90 blood plasma donors who regularly participated in donations were examined. The comparison group consisted of 158 healthy individuals who had not previously donated blood and its components. Hemoglobin concentration, hematocrit, erythrocyte count and erythrocyte indices were assessed. The concentration levels of ferritin, iron, transferrin in blood serum as well as the values of total and unsaturated iron-binding capacity of se rum were studied, and the saturation coefficient of transferrin was calculated.Results. In men who donated platelets, a statistically significant decrease in the red blood cells count (p = 0.001), hematocrit (p = 0.014) and ferritin concentration (p &lt; 0.001) were found relative to those in the comparison group: 4.8×1012/l, 42.0 %, 28.9 ng/ml versus 5.0×1012/l, 44.0 %, 74.2 ng/ml respectively. In regular donors a significant increase in the medium of hemoglobin of red blood cells was noted: 30.8 pg (p = 0.008) and 31.4 pg (p &lt; 0.001) in men and 30.2 pg (p = 0.030) and 31.0 pg (p &lt; 0.001) in women with platelet and plasma exfusions respectively compared to 29.4 pg in men and 29.6 pg in women who participated in donation for the first time. In plasma donors of both sexes, the values of hemoglobin and its average concentration in the erythrocyte were significantly higher than in first-time donors: 154.0 g/l (p = 0.008), 35.7 g/dl (p &lt; 0.001) and 138.0 g/l (p &lt; 0.001), 35.2 g/dl (p &lt; 0.001) versus 146.0 g/l, 33.6 g/dl and 129.0 g/l, 33.8 g/dl in men and women, respectively.Conclusion. To prevent the development of iron deficiency in donors of blood components it is necessary to monitor the con-centration of serum ferritin and correct its reduced values by changing the donation regimen or prescribing iron-containing drugs. When selecting donors, attention should be paid to the frequency of apheresis, especially in men who regularly donate platelets.

Causes of pre and post-donation deferrals among blood donors, at Kwale Satellite Blood Transfusion Center, Kwale County, Kenya, 2018–2022

BackgroundBoth pre-donation and post-donation deferrals pose challenges to blood safety and availability. This study delved into the deferral rates before donations and their underlying reasons, as, transfusion transmissible infections (TTIs) leading to post-donation deferrals among potential blood donors at the Kwale Satellite Blood Transfusion Centre (KSBTC) in Kenya.MethodsWe performed a retrospective electronic record review of pre- and post-donation deferrals among blood donors at KSBTC, 2018–2022. The pre-donations deferral rate and reasons for deferral were analyzed. Accepted donations were analyzed to determine the prevalence of HIV, hepatitis B (HBV), hepatitis C (HCV), and syphilis. Descriptive statistics were calculated and both crude odds ratio (COR) and adjusted odds ratio (AOR), and their 95% confidence intervals (CI) were calculated. Variables with p < 0.05 were considered statistically significant.ResultsA review was conducted on 12,633 blood donation records. Among these, individuals 2,729/12,633 (21.60%) were deferred from donating with the primary reason being low hemoglobin levels, constituting 51.86% of deferrals. Around 773/9,904 (7.80%) of blood units, were discarded due to at least one TTI. Among these, HBV accounted for 4.73%, HIV for 2.01%, HCV for 1.21%, and Syphilis for 0.59% of cases. The adjusted odds ratio for male donors were, (aOR = 1.3, 95% CI 1.01–1.57), donors with none or primary education level (aOR = 1.4 95% CI 1.11–1.68), first-timer donors (aOR = 1.2, 95% CI 1.01–1.44), and static strategy for blood collection (aOR = 1.4, 95%CI 1.12–1.63) were independently potentially associated with testing positive for at least one TTI.ConclusionThe study indicates that TTIs continue to pose a risk to the safety of Kenya’s bloodstock, with a notable prevalence of HBV infections. Male donors, individuals with limited education, first-time donors, and utilizing a fixed strategy for blood collection were identified as potential risk factors independently associated with TTIs.

Blood donor return behavior in South Africa and the United States before and during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Studies preceding the COVID-19 pandemic found that slower time-to-return was associated with first-time, deferred, and mobile drive blood donors. How donor return dynamics changed during the COVID-19 pandemic is not well understood. We analyzed visits by whole blood donors from 2017 to 2022 in South Africa (SA) and the United States (US) stratified by mobile and fixed environment, first-time and repeat donor status, and pre-COVID19 (before March 2020) and intra-COVID19. We used Kaplan-Meier curves to characterize time-to-return, cumulative incidence functions to analyze switching between donation environments, and Cox proportional hazards models to analyze factors influencing time-to-return. Overall time-to-return was shorter in SA. Pre-COVID19, the proportion of donors returning within a year of becoming eligible was lower for deferred donors in both countries regardless of donation environment and deferral type. Intra-COVID19, the gap between deferred and non-deferred donors widened in the US but narrowed in SA, where efforts to schedule return visits from deferred donors were intensified, particularly for non-hemoglobin-related deferrals. Intra-COVID19, the proportion of donors returning within a year in SA was higher for deferred first-time donors (>81%) than for successful first-time donors (80% at fixed sites; 69% at mobile drives). The pandemic complicated efforts to recruit new donors and schedule returning visits after completed donations. Concerted efforts to improve time-to-return for deferred donors helped mitigate donation loss in SA during the public health emergency.

Detection and analysis of parvovirus B19 among blood donors in a regional blood center in Eastern China

Background and objectiveThe B19 virus is mainly transmitted through the respiratory tract; however, studies have shown that it can also be transmitted through blood transfusions or plasma products. This study investigated B19V antibodies, DNA, and gene typing in blood donors at a central blood station in China to evaluate the status of B19V infection. Materials and methodsA total of 7728 samples from Suzhou Blood Center were collected from July 2022 to April 2023. Samples were detected for the B19V DNA using real-time polymerase chain reaction. Furthermore, 893 selected samples were screened for the seroprevalence of B19V antibodies using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The NS1-VP1u fragment of the B19V DNA-positive samples was amplified using nested PCR, and the sequences were determined. A B19V phylogenetic tree was constructed using neighborhood joint and maximum parsimony methods to discriminate genotypes using the NS1-VP1u sequences. ResultsThe percentages of IgG, IgM, and DNA were 19.4 %, 1.9 %, and 0.09 %, respectively. IgG positivity increased with age, and there was a significant difference among the blood groups. The IgG levels of repeat donors were greater than those of first-time donors. There were no apparent differences in the IgM levels in all the participants. Genotyping revealed that the B19 genotype was 1. ConclusionsThe prevalence of B19V antibodies and DNA was lower in these areas than in rest of China, indicating that the risk of B19V transmission via transfusion may be relatively low. However, during transfusion, particular attention should be paid to the B19V-susceptible populations, especially those in high-risk groups.

Higher rates of laboratory-confirmed cases of syphilis in Western Canadian blood donors compared with Eastern Canadian blood donors following a period of societal re-opening.

There is a growing infectious syphilis outbreak in Western Canada. Although blood donors are screened for syphilis risks, some blood donors will still be confirmed test-positive for syphilis. This study compares the characteristics of confirmed test-positive syphilis donations in both Western Canada and Eastern Canada, November 2022-August 2023. Donors were defined as Western or Eastern Canadian. Blood donations were tested for syphilis using the PK-TP assay (Beckman Coulter PK7300 Automated Microplate System). Confirmatory Treponema pallidum particle agglutination (TPPA) and rapid plasma reagin (RPR) assays were performed by one of two reference laboratories. An RPR titre ≥1:8 was used as a proxy for possible infectious syphilis. Rates of laboratory-confirmed syphilis were higher in Western (n = 43, 13.4/100,000 donations) versus Eastern donors (n = 19, 4.7/100,000 donations; Fisher's exact test, two-sided, p ≤ 0.0001). Most syphilis confirmations were in first-time donors (Western Canada n = 31/43, 72.1%, Eastern Canada 12/19, 63.2%). Although rates of laboratory-confirmed syphilis were higher in Western versus Eastern donors, Western donors did not have higher rates of infectious syphilis. Further studies might assess whether donors with laboratory-confirmed syphilis understood pre-donation screening questions or were completely unaware of a past infection.

Characteristics of first-time blood donors with unsatisfactory hemoglobin level and positive hepatitis B test in Binh Dinh Province

Blood transfusion is essential in the treatment of a various diseases. In order to guarantee a safe and sufficient volume of blood supply, it is crucial to select appropriate donors based on stringent eligibility criteria. The objective of this study was to furnish robust epidemiological information and identify the risk factors linked to hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection and low hemoglobin levels in first-time blood donors in Binh Dinh. Understanding the causes for donor deferrals can assist better plan and establish an efficient recruiting strategies as well as evaluate donor selection criteria. A cross-sectional study was undertaken in Binh Dinh Provincial General Hospital from November 2022 to February 2023 to examine individuals in their first-time blood donation. Data were sourced directly from voluntary blood donation registration forms. HBsAg results were assessed using rapid immunochromatographic tests and chemiluminescent immunoassays. The rate of unsatisfactory hemoglobin levels was 2.56% tested on 1,638 participants. This rate was significantly associated with female sex (18 times greater odds than males), and lower weight. The results revealed that the rate of HBV infection was 3.13% when detected by the rapid test, but increased by 0.58% when measured by chemiluminescent microparticle immunoassay. The positive hepatitis B deferral correlated with sex (p&lt;0.05), age group (p&lt;0.05) and occupation (p&lt;0.05). HBV was found the leading cause of deferral in the study area and associated with males, age groups (25–35 and 36–44), officer, worker-farmer, and self-employed people. The prevalence of low hemoglobin donor deferral obtained was 2.56%. Low hemoglobin deferral is associated with female gender, lower body weight, worker-farmer, and self-employed - others. This finding underscores a significant public health concerns, highlighting the need for strategies to lower the infection rates. Understanding the factors leading to defered donation can contribute to development of proactive strategies for recruiting and retaining donors.

Sonographic Evaluation of Carotid Intima-Media Thickness and Iron Status of Regular and First-Time Blood Donors in a Tertiary Hospital in South-West Nigeria

Sonographic Evaluation of Carotid Intima-Media Thickness and Iron Status of Regular and First-Time Blood Donors in a Tertiary Hospital in South-West Nigeria

Analysis of erythrocyte and iron study data among plateletpheresis donors in Hangzhou, China

BackgroundThe purpose of this study is to obtain the iron parameters level of blood donors and the population who need to pay attention to iron parameters level in this area. MethodsA total of 993 plateletpheresis donors were included in this study, including 798 males and 195 females. The results of erythrocyte and iron parameters of blood donors were compared and analyzed in different groups according to the gender, age and number of blood donations. ResultThe proportion of men and women with low serum ferritin (SF) levels was 10.8 % and 27.7 %, respectively. The mean levels of serum iron (SI), SF, transferrin saturation (Tfs), hemoglobin (Hb) and hematocrit (HCT) of male blood donors decreased with the increase of age groups, but there was no significant statistical difference between the results of female blood donors. The level of SI, SF, Tfs, Hb and HCT of male donors decreased with the increase of blood donations in the past year, while TRF and TIBC increased. The level of Hb, HCT and SF of female donors showed no significant downward trend, while the levels of TRF increased with increasing donations in the past year, excluding first-time donors. The SI of female donors trended down, and TIBC trended up with increasing donations. ConclusionBlood collection institutions need to focus on iron parameters levels in older and frequent male donors, and young fertile female donors.

Paths to improve voluntary blood donation in mixed public/private blood donation systems such as in Lebanon?

BackgroundThe World Health Organization advocates for the achievement of 100% voluntary non-remunerated blood donation (VNRD) globally by the year 2020. However, until today, little was known in Lebanon regarding its actual rate or influencing factors, particularly donor motivations and behaviors. Therefore, the aim of this study was to assess the knowledge, attitudes, and practices of blood donors in Lebanon. The ultimate goals were to retain first-time donors, encourage them to become regular ones, and facilitate the transition from replacement donation to VNRD. Materials and MethodsA multi-centric cross-sectional study was carried across the five governorates in Lebanon. A self-administered and structured questionnaire was used in this survey. Results were presented in terms of odds ratios, with statistical significance defined at a P value of 0.05 and a 95% confidence interval. Additionally, a benchmarking analysis of the situation of blood donation in Lebanon was also conducted, identifying several areas for improvement. ResultsA total of 620 blood donors participated in this study, with 21.3% being first-time donors and 78.7% repeat donors. While the latter were primarily motivated by self-esteem, solidarity or returning a favor (89%, 77.9% and 78.1%), the main obstacle for becoming regular donors was a lack of initiative (34.6%). Female donors (9.9% of the total) exhibited better knowledge (OR = 2.20, p = 0.011) and were more inclined to donate voluntarily (OR = 1.52, p = 0.048). Conversely, male donors were more likely to be repeat donors, often through replacement donation (OR = 2.95, p = 0.001). ConclusionThere is a significant disparity between the low rate of voluntary donation in Lebanon (22.2%) and the relatively high proportion of donors with adequate knowledge of the donation process (60.5%). Therefore, urgent action by public authorities, based on the evidence based strategies outlined in this article, is crucial to enhancing the voluntary donation rate in Lebanon.

Designing Behavior Change Support Systems Targeting Blood Donation Behavior

While blood is crucial for many surgeries and patient treatments worldwide, it cannot be produced artificially. Fulfilling the demand for blood products on average days is already a major challenge in countries like South Africa and Ghana. In these countries, less than 1 % of the population donates blood and most of the donations come from first-time donors who do not return. Sufficient new, first-time and even lapsed donors must be motivated to donate regularly. This study argues that blood donation behavior change support systems (BDBCSS) can be beneficially applied to support blood donor management in African countries. In this study, the design science research (DSR) approach is applied in order to derive generic design principles for BDBCSS and instantiate the design knowledge in prototypes for a blood donation app and a chatbot. The design principles were evaluated in a field study in South Africa. The results demonstrate the positive effects of BDBCSS on users’ intentional and developmental blood donation behavior. This study contributes to research and practice by proposing a new conceptualization of blood donation information systems support and a nascent design theory for BDBCSS that builds on behavioral theories as well as related work on blood donation information systems. Thus, the study provides valuable implications for designing preventive health BCSS by stating three design principles for a concrete application context in healthcare.

Prevalence and Residual Risk of HIV in Volunteer Blood Donors of Zhejiang Province, China, from 2018 to 2022.

Blood safety levels have been significantly improved since the implementation of nucleic acid amplification technology (NAT) testing for blood donors. However, there remains a residual risk of transfusion transmission infections. This study aimed to evaluate the prevalence of HIV and its residual risk transmission among volunteer blood donors of Zhejiang Province, China, for five years after NAT implementation. All specimens and information were collected from voluntary unpaid donors at all blood services in Zhejiang Province, China, from January 2018 to December 2022. The HIV antibody or antigen and HIV RNA were detected using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and NAT, respectively. The HIV residual risk transmission was calculated using the incidence or window period model. A total of 3,375,678 voluntary blood donors were detected, revealing an HIV prevalence of 9.92/100000. The HIV prevalence of blood donors in 12 blood services in Zhejiang Province was 6.11, 6.98, 7.45, 8.21, 8.36, 8.94, 9.04, 9.66, 9.73, 10.22, 11.80, and 12.47 per 100000 donors, without statistically significant difference observed among the services (p > 0.05). The HIV prevalence of males (15.49/100000) was significantly higher compared to females (1.95/100000; p < 0.05). There was an insignificant difference in HIV prevalence among blood donors of all different age groups (p > 0.05), but the HIV prevalence in the 26-35 age group and 18-25 age group was significantly higher compared to the 36-45 age group (p < 0.05). The difference in HIV prevalence between first-time blood donors (13.65/100,000) and repeat blood donors (6.78/100,000) was statistically significant (p < 0.05). From 2018 to 2022, the HIV residual risk in blood transfusion transmission was 0.266/100000. The prevalence of HIV among blood donors in Zhejiang Province, China, is associated with age, gender, and times of blood donation. The HIV residual risk in blood transfusion transmission remains low in the province, and increasing the rate of repeat blood donors is beneficial to improve blood safety.

Exploring the determinants of risk behavior for transfusion transmissible infections among first-time blood donors in Mandalay General Hospital, Myanmar.

Blood donation is vital to healthcare, but it must be kept safe by mitigating the risk of transfusion transmissible infections (TTIs). The objective of this study was to investigate the factors that influence risk behavior for transfusion transmissible infections among first-time blood donors at Mandalay General Hospital, Myanmar. This study utilized a cross-sectional study design using secondary data. Mandalay city and Mandalay Blood Bank in Mandalay General Hospital were purposely selected and a total of 406 first-time blood donors participated. A structured questionnaire administered by an interviewer was used. The questionnaire contained background characteristics, knowledge on TTIs, attitude toward TTIs, and TTIs risk behaviors. To examine the determinants (background characteristics, knowledge, and attitude) that affect risk behavior, inferential statistics techniques that included the chi-squared test, bivariable logistic regression, and multivariable logistic regression were applied. A p-value of less than 0.05 signified statistical significance. Among 406 first-time blood donors, 52.9% were under 20 years old, and 53.7% were male. Most had undergraduate education (77.6%), were married (84.2%), and were students (55.7%). Additionally, 76.8% hadn't received the hepatitis B vaccine. Blood groups were distributed as follows: B (40.0%), O (33.8%), A (23.4%), AB (8.9%). About 15.8% showed high knowledge level, and 63.6% had high attitude. Notably, 29.3% exhibited high-risk behavior for TTIs. Age was associated with lower risk behavior (OR = 1.54, 95% CI: 0.99, 2.38, p = 0.049), but lost significance in multivariable regression (p = 0.214). Knowledge on TTIs didn't show significance. However, high attitudes were significantly associated with lower risk behavior (OR = 11.4, 95% CI: 1.25, 103.83, p = 0.017, retained in multivariable regression, p = 0.012). Findings of this study contribute in the development of programs that ensure a safe and reliable blood supply chain. To improve blood safety standards among first-time blood donors, this study highlights the value of targeted education and screening processes, placing particular emphasis on acquiring knowledge and positive attitude toward blood donation and risk behavior.