'Of One Blood?': Gendered Propaganda and Blood Donor Behaviour in Wartime Bristol and South West England, 1939-1945.

This article explores civilian responses to the British army's blood donor recruitment campaign in wartime Britain, revealing it to be an underexplored medium for the examination of the contribution of women to Britain's war effort. However, despite extensive gender-targeted propaganda, it reveals evidence of a significant disparity between levels of volunteering to donate and actual donation throughout the war. Wartime donor behaviour was influenced by perceptions of personal or familial risk, with donor recruitment propaganda emphasising kinship ties to those in military service and promoting blood donation as a mutual insurance policy. Ultimately, this article argues that evidence of donor behaviour further undermines the mythologised narrative of Britain's 'People's War' and provides nuance to the understanding of blood donor motivation.

Donor knowledge and perceptions regarding donation-induced iron depletion and iron supplementation as a blood service policy.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Regular whole blood donations are associated with an increased risk of iron deficiency. Iron supplementation is an effective strategy to prevent donation-induced iron deficiency. However, research on donor perceptions towards such a policy is limited. Therefore, we aim to evaluate donors' knowledge on donation-induced iron depletion and their perceptions regarding iron supplementation as a blood service policy. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Three thousand Dutch whole blood donors were invited to complete a survey assessing their knowledge of donation-induced iron depletion and attitudes and perceptions towards iron supplementation as a policy. Linear regression modelling was used to evaluate associations between explanatory variables and perceptions. RESULTS: In total, 1093 (77.1%) donors were included in the analysis. Donors had poor knowledge of current iron management policies, but a better understanding of iron metabolism and supplementation. Iron supplementation as a policy was perceived mainly positive by donors, and the majority were willing to use iron supplements if provided. Iron supplementation was not perceived as invasive or negatively affecting donors' motivation to continue donating. Additional iron monitoring, information and donor physician involvement were regarded as important conditions for implementation. Male sex, trust in the blood service, prior experience with iron supplements and openness towards dietary supplements were strongly positively associated with willingness to use iron supplementation. CONCLUSION: Donors' knowledge regarding donation-induced iron depletion is limited, but not associated with their perceptions regarding iron supplementation. Donors do not consider iron supplementation as invasive, deterring or demotivating, and a majority are willing to take supplements if offered.

Factors associated with blood donation among college and university students in Wuhan, China: structural equation model.

BACKGROUND: College and university students were an important population group of blood donors, especially in the current situation of tight blood supply. This study aimed to investigate the current status and determinants of blood donation among this population group in Wuhan using a structural equation model. METHODS: We conducted a cross-sectional study involving 12 colleges and universities in Wuhan, China, including 5168 students. Sociodemographic characteristics, health status, knowledge about blood donation, and attitude toward blood donation were treated as latent variables, with blood donation as the observed variable. Confirmatory factor analysis was conducted using the Mplus 8.0 statistical software application, followed by the establishment of a structural equation model to assess the relationships that exist between these variables. RESULTS: The overall blood donation rate among college and university students was 24.71%. The established model indicated that sociodemographic characteristics, health status, knowledge about blood donation, and attitude toward blood donation showed significant positive effects (0.135, 0.056, 0.321, and 0.389, respectively) on blood donation, among them, the direct effects were 0.076, -0.110, 0.143, and 0.389, respectively (P < 0.01). Additionally, sociodemographic characteristics, health status, and knowledge about blood donation had indirectly affected blood donation through the mediating effect of attitude towards blood donation. Their effects on attitude towards blood donation were 0.099, 0.243, and 0.468, respectively. (P < 0.01). The model could explain explained 22.22% of the variance in blood donation behavior among college and university students in Wuhan. CONCLUSION: Blood donation among college and university students in Wuhan was associated with sociodemographic characteristics, health status, knowledge about blood donation, and attitude towards blood donation, with attitude being the primary influencing factor. Tailored recruitment strategies for blood donation among students should prioritize initiatives aimed at enhancing knowledge about blood donation and fostering positive attitudes toward it.

Irregular red blood cell antibodies, abnormal hemoglobin and dangerous universal blood donor insights from a public blood center in a Brazilian metropolitan area.

BACKGROUND: Immunohematology tests are crucial in transfusion safety. This study aimed to assess irregular red blood cell (RBC) antibodies, abnormal hemoglobin and dangerous universal blood donors at a public blood center in a Brazilian metropolitan area. METHODS: A cross-sectional study included all consecutive blood donors from January 2018 to December 2021 at the Brasília Blood Center Foundation, Federal District (FD), Brazil. RESULTS: Among 205,965 blood donations, irregular RBC antibodies were found in 743 (0.4 %). Abnormal hemoglobin was observed in 5396 (2.6 %): 3959 (1.9 %) with Hb AS, 1344 (0.7 %) with Hb AC, and 93 (< 0,1 %) with other hemoglobin variants. Of O group donors, 12.5 % (9646) had hemolysins: 12.5 % (2410) both anti-A and anti-B, 8.7 % (9646) only anti-A, and 1.6 % (1763) only anti-B hemolysins. Female sex (p < 0.001) and increasing age (p < 0.001) were associated with irregular RBC antibodies. O and/or Rh(D)-positive blood groups had a lower prevalence of irregular RBC antibodies compared to other ABO and/or Rh(D)-negative groups. Age (p < 0.001) and female sex (p < 0.001) were associated with anti-A/anti-B hemolysins, while FD residency was associated with reduced incidence (p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: Anti-A/anti-B hemolysins in O group donors, abnormal hemoglobin and irregular RBC antibodies pose risks to transfusion practice and should not be overlooked. Advancing age, female sex, ABO blood group other than O, or Rh(D)- negative are independently associated with the presence of irregular RBC antibodies. Dangerous universal blood donors were associated with advanced age, female gender, Rh(D)-positive blood type, and individuals residing in a Brazilian state other than where the blood center was located.

Urban arbovirus exposure in blood donations from an endemic area of Brazil.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: In Brazil, urban arboviruses, such as dengue virus (DENV), Zika virus (ZIKV) and chikungunya virus (CHIKV), constitute a major public health problem, and due to their endemicity and asymptomatic cases, they pose a potential threat to blood donations. Rio de Janeiro (RJ), Brazil, has been impacted by extensive DENV epidemics over the last 30 years and, after 2015, by CHIKV and ZIKV. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Urban arboviruses DENV, ZIKV and CHIKV were investigated in blood donations (n = 778) at the State Institute of Hematology, HEMORIO (RJ) from 2019 to 2022 by serological and molecular methods. RESULTS: An overall arbovirus exposure was observed in 26.1% of the blood donations. Anti-DENV IgM was detected in 4.0% of samples and two donations were DENV NS1 positive. Positive anti-CHIKV IgM was observed in 4.7% of the donations. Co-detection of anti-CHIKV IgM and anti-DENV IgM was observed in 1.0% of donors, and CHIKV prevalence was 21.3%. All blood donations tested were negative for the DENV, ZIKV and CHIKV RNA. CONCLUSION: IgM seroprevalence to the arboviruses analyzed here is an indicator of recent infection in asymptomatic donors, showing that the population of blood donors can be a vehicle for new infections, especially during epidemic periods.

Money matters: The association between blood donation rates and healthcare system quality across 171 countries.

BACKGROUND: Worldwide, insufficient blood donations cause blood shortages that jeopardize vital medical treatments for patients. Blood donation rates vary widely across countries, yet the determinants of this variation remain poorly understood. This study aims to illuminate the role of the institutional context in which blood donation is embedded by examining the link between country-level blood donation rates and healthcare system quality. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: The study employed a cross-sectional design using data on blood donation rates from 171 countries from the 2021 WHO Global Status Report on Blood Safety and Availability and three healthcare quality indicators (i.e., Healthcare Access and Quality [HAQ] Index, life expectancy, and health expenditures). The pre-registered hypotheses are tested using multiple linear regression. Robustness checks control for confounding factors. RESULTS: HAQ Index and health expenditures are positively associated with blood donation rates, whereas life expectancy is not related to blood donation when controlling for confounds. Health expenditures display the most robust association with blood donations, even when controlling for confounding factors, and when comparing countries within the same continent. CONCLUSION: Higher healthcare system quality in terms of HAQ Index and higher healthcare expenditures are related to higher blood donation rates. The finding that healthcare expenditures are most consistently related to blood donation rates indicates that policymakers should consider prioritizing financial support for the healthcare system, including blood-collecting institutions. More broadly, a better understanding of the role of contextual factors for blood donation may be needed to increase blood availability worldwide.

'Yeah, this is my donation': An application of psychological ownership in blood donation.

To meet the priority healthcare needs of any population there must be a consistently available blood supply donated by willing donors. Due to this universal need for blood, retaining blood donors remains an ongoing challenge for blood services internationally. Encouraging psychological ownership, or the feeling of ownership one experiences over a possession, provides a potential novel solution to donor retention. This study, based on semi-structured interviews with blood donors, investigates how donors perceive and develop psychological ownership in the context of blood donation. Interviews were conducted in Australia with 20 current blood donors (10 men, 10 women; Mage = 41.95). Through thematic analysis, six themes were identified based primarily on the theoretical framework of psychological ownership. This research offers a novel perspective on donor retention, suggesting that donors' ownership over their individual donation practices, and not the blood service, may contribute to maintaining a stable blood supply.

Attitudes towards blood donation among students in different health sciences disciplines in Saudi Arabia.

The objective of this research undertaking was to examine the attitudes of King Khalid University undergraduates enrolled in various health disciplines regarding blood donation. Undergraduates of health disciplines participated in this study. The survey questions were administered through Google Forms, and the data was imported into GraphPad Prism for visualization and analytical purposes. A greater proportion of participants were male, with males accounting for 63.2% of the sample, while females accounted for 36.8%. The findings given in this research illustrate a wide range of attitudes regarding the practice of blood donation. A notable percentage of the participants had a favorable predisposition towards engaging in voluntary blood donation. Nevertheless, a significant degree of variability was observed among individuals with regards to their attitudes toward several variables, including fear, motivation, and their preferred location for making donations. The participants expressed negative attitudes against the practice of importing blood and the recognition of personal accountability in engaging in blood donation for the sake of society. One potential solution to address the unfavorable attitudes among students towards blood donation is the implementation of educational programs focused on blood donation and its associated benefits. Additionally, incorporating motivational strategies could further enhance the effectiveness of these initiatives. As a result, this could have a positive impact on students and those in their immediate vicinity.

L'objectif de cette entreprise de recherche était d'examiner les attitudes des étudiants de premier cycle de l'Université King Khalid inscrits dans diverses disciplines de la santé concernant le don de sang. Des étudiants de premier cycle des disciplines de la santé ont participé à cette étude. Les questions de l'enquête ont été administrées via Google Forms et les données ont été importées dans GraphPad Prism à des fins de visualisation et d'analyse. Une plus grande proportion de participants étaient des hommes, les hommes représentant 63,2 % de l'échantillon, tandis que les femmes représentaient 36,8 %. Les résultats de cette recherche illustrent un large éventail d'attitudes concernant la pratique du don de sang. Un pourcentage notable de participants avaient une prédisposition favorable au don de sang volontaire. Néanmoins, un degré important de variabilité a été observé parmi les individus en ce qui concerne leurs attitudes envers plusieurs variables, notamment la peur, la motivation et le lieu préféré pour faire des dons. Les participants ont exprimé des attitudes négatives à l'égard de la pratique consistant à importer du sang et ont reconnu la responsabilité personnelle de s'engager dans le don du sang pour le bien de la société. Une solution potentielle pour lutter contre les attitudes défavorables des étudiants à l'égard du don de sang consiste à mettre en œuvre des programmes éducatifs axés sur le don de sang et ses avantages associés. De plus, l'intégration de stratégies de motivation pourrait encore améliorer l'efficacité de ces initiatives. Cela pourrait ainsi avoir un impact positif sur les étudiants et leur entourage immédiat.

Gamification Approach to Provide Support About the Deferral Experience in Blood Donation: Design and Feasibility Study.

BACKGROUND: Multiple studies have examined the impact of deferral on the motivation of prospective blood donors, proposing various policies and strategies to support individuals who undergo this experience. However, existing information and communications technology systems focused on blood donation have not yet integrated these ideas or provided options to assist with the deferral experience. OBJECTIVE: This study aims to propose an initial gamified design aimed at mitigating the impact of the deferral experience by addressing the drivers of awareness and knowledge, interaction and validation, and motivation. Additionally, the study explores the feasibility of implementing such a system for potential users. METHODS: We conducted a literature review focusing on the dynamics of motivation and intention related to blood donation, as well as the deferral situation and its impact on citizens. Through this review, we identified weak donor identity, lack of knowledge, and reduced motivation as key factors requiring support from appropriate interventions. These factors were then defined as our key drivers. Taking these into account, we proposed a gamification approach that incorporates concepts from the MDA framework. The aim is to stimulate the aforementioned drivers and expand the concept of contribution and identity in blood donation. For a preliminary evaluation, we designed a prototype to collect feedback on usability, usefulness, and interest regarding a potential implementation of our proposed gamification approach. RESULTS: Among the participants, a total of 11 citizens interacted with the app and provided feedback through our survey. They indicated that interacting with the app was relatively easy, with an average score of 4.13 out of 5 when considering the 11 tasks of interaction. The SUS results yielded a final average score of 70.91 from the participants' answers. Positive responses were received when participants were asked about liking the concept of the app (3.82), being likely to download it (3.55), and being likely to recommend it to others (3.64). Participants expressed positivity about the implementation of the design but also highlighted current shortcomings and suggested possible improvements in both functionality and usability. CONCLUSIONS: Although deferral is a common issue in blood donation, there is a missed opportunity in existing ICT services regarding how to effectively handle such experiences. Our proposed design and implementation seem to have captured the interest of prospective users due to its perceived positive usefulness and potential. However, further confirmation is needed. Improving the design of activities that currently rely heavily on extrinsic motivation elements and integrating more social components to create an enhanced activity loop for intrinsic motivation could further increase the value of the proposed project. Future research could involve conducting a more specialized and longitudinal design evaluation with a larger sample size.

Challenges in organising blood donation camps at remote military base and its impact on blood component quality: A unique helicopter-based whole blood transport experience.

BACKGROUND: There is a huge gap between safe blood supply and clinical demand in India and voluntary blood donation camps (BDSs) are vital to address this gap. The study evaluates the challenges faced in organizing remote setting voluntary BDCs and assess the impact of helicopter-flight on the quality of the whole blood units (WBU) and blood components (BC) prepared. METHODS: This is an observational study in which two voluntary BDCs were organised in remote military-based setting in 2021. Pre-camp activities, camp organisation, community engagement, and transportation logistics were evaluated. All WBU collected were exposed to helicopter-flight for transportation to the main blood centre with cold-chain maintenance. Impact of helicopter-flight on WBU and BC prepared was evaluated by performing extensive quality control (QC) testing. RESULTS: A total of 123 WBU were collected in both camps with transportation time of 160 and 150 min for camp-1 and -2 respectively. 123 PRBC, 22 BC-PC, 75 FFP and 48 CRYO units were prepared in-total within recommended time-limits. No haemolysis was detected in WBU, and all BC met QC criteria as per National guidelines. CONCLUSIONS: Proper pre-camp planning, prior screening of donors, clear collection process policy, feasibility of efficient transport system, regular communication, and maintenance of cold-chain are crucial factors in determining the success of remote BDCs and quality of BC. Our study provides practical recommendations for policymakers, military healthcare providers, transfusion medicine specialists and public health professionals to enhance the effectiveness and sustainability of voluntary blood donation programs in remote settings.

Word-of-mouth among blood service employees who also donate blood: a qualitative investigation of advantages and challenges for dual-role donors.

BACKGROUND: Despite word-of-mouth (WOM) and electronic WOM (eWOM) influencing people's willingness to donate blood, no research has explored this behavior among blood service employees who are also donors. This underexplored segment is highly important, as they are generally committed to both the organization and the cause and are likely more informed on the topic of blood donation than the average donor. METHODS: This study comprised six online focus groups with 26 Australian Red Cross Lifeblood employees who are also donors. Questions covered a range of blood donation and WOM topics, including when they became blood donors, if they had engaged in WOM about blood donation, what they had talked about and with whom, and what were audience reactions. Thematic analysis was then used to explore how responses related to the employees' motivations, opportunities, and abilities to engage in WOM and eWOM about blood donation. RESULTS: While most employee-donors saw alignment in their employee and donor roles, advocating for blood donation was not considered a necessary part of either role. Educating others about blood donation was a common goal of employee-donor WOM and eWOM, and almost all employees engaged in reactive WOM, triggered by events (e.g., recent donations) or questions about their work. Employee-donors in donor-facing roles (e.g., communications and collections staff) felt more aware of the importance of encouraging others to donate blood and were also more likely to be proactive in their WOM activity. Along with these perceived advantages of having a dual role, employee-donors also identified some disadvantages, such as unrealistic expertise expectations and negative audience responses that can be difficult to navigate. CONCLUSIONS: Being an employee-donor is a double-edged sword. For example, increased opportunities to talk about blood donation and access to more information can be offset by having to respond to more challenging questions/comments and expectations, while appropriately representing their employer. More research is needed among those in employee-donor roles within the healthcare and/or non-profit sectors, to determine whether these are issues faced more broadly, and how those in dual roles can be most effectively supported to engage in positive WOM and eWOM.

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

BACKGROUND: The 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 METHODS: A 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. RESULTS: A 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). CONCLUSION: There 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.

Cytokine, Anti-SARS-CoV-2 Antibody, and Neutralizing Antibody Levels in Conventional Blood Donors Who Have Recovered from COVID-19.

Background: At the beginning of the pandemic, COVID-19 convalescent plasma (CCP) containing anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies was suggested as a source of therapy. In the last 3 years, many trials have demonstrated the limited usefulness of CCP therapy. This led us to the hypothesis that CCP could contain other elements, along with the desired neutralizing antibodies, which could potentially prevent it from having a therapeutic effect, among them cytokines, chemokines, growth factors, clotting factors, and autoantibodies. Methods: In total, 39 cytokines were analyzed in the plasma of 190 blood donors, and further research focused on the levels of 23 different cytokines in CCP (sCD40L, eotaxin, FGF-2, FLT-3L, ractalkine, GRO-α, IFNα2, IL-1ß, IL-1RA, IL-5, IL-6, IL-8, IL-12, IL-13, IL-15, IL-17E, IP-10, MCP-1, MIP-1b, PDGF-AA, TGFα, TNFα, and TRAIL). Anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies and neutralizing antibodies were detected in CCP. Results: We found no significant differences between CCP taken within a maximum of 180 days from the onset of the first COVID-19 symptoms and the controls. We also made a comparison of the cytokine levels between the low neutralizing antibodies (<160) group and the high neutralizing antibodies (≥160) group and found there were no differences between the groups. Our research also showed no correlation either to levels of anti-SARS-CoV-2 IgG Ab or to the levels of neutralizing antibodies. There were also no significant changes in cytokine levels based on the period after the start of COVID-19 symptoms. Conclusions: No elements which could potentially be responsible for preventing CCP from having a therapeutic effect were found.

Iron deficiency among Japanese whole-blood donors measured by serum ferritin.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: A more restrictive blood donation criterion has been applied in Japan, with a maximum volume of whole blood (WB) donation of 400 mL, allowing twice a year for female donors and thrice a year for male donors. However, iron deficiency was as high as 20.5% among female donors prior to donation, increasing to 37.7% after blood donation. More than 20 years have passed since then, so we set out to investigate the present situation. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 2659 (male/female: 1496/1163) donors of 400 mL WB who gave informed consent to join the study were enrolled. Serum ferritin (sFer) of first-time/reactivated (FT/RA) donors were compared with those of repeat donors, according to gender and age; those who returned for subsequent donations during the study period were also followed up. RESULTS: About one-third of FT/RA female donors had iron deficiency, possibly reflecting its high incidence among the general population. Interestingly, although sFer levels were low among pre-menopausal FT/RA female donors, these values were not much different in repeat donors, whereas significant differences were observed between FT/RA and repeat donors among post-menopausal females and in most age groups among males. As expected, donors with a normal initial sFer (≥26 ng/mL) recovered faster than those with a low initial sFer. CONCLUSION: Female donors, especially, have iron deficiency even before donation, and the rate increased compared to what was found previously. Measures to prevent iron deficiency of blood donors is required, and studies are going on in Japan.

Should men who have ever had sex with men be allowed to donate blood in Brazil?

Many countries have modified their policies on banning or deferring blood donation by men who have sex with men (MSM) in light of ethical concerns and new evidence about transfusion risks. In Brazil, MSM were not eligible to donate blood unless they had been celibate for the previous 12 months. However, in May 2020, the Brazilian Federal Supreme Court overturned this restriction. Many authors have attempted to stress possible risks of transfusion-transmitted infection under various scenarios of changes in bans or restrictions on donations by MSM using mathematical models, but we consider that it is a difficult task due to the wide variety of sexual behaviors, attitudes, and practices. Among these factors, we highlight sex under the influence of illicit drugs, and the fact that people with an undetectable human immunodeficiency virus viral load have the potential to transmit should their blood be transfused. Despite these possible risks, we believe that some MSM can donate blood regardless of the time elapsed since their last sexual contact, especially because blood donations by MSM were occurring even when there were time-based deferral rules. Blood banks should always seek to use screening algorithms to identify high-risk sexual behaviors using gender-neutral criteria, and education about transfusion risks should be offered to healthcare workers and MSM.

Future Blood Debt: Projecting Blood Supply and Demand of Korea Based on Subnational Population Projections (2021-2050).

BACKGROUND: South Korea faces a critical challenge with its rapidly declining fertility rates and an increasingly aging population, which significantly impacts the country's blood supply and demand. Despite these nationwide trends, regional disparities in blood supply and demand have not been thoroughly studied. METHODS: This research utilized blood donation data from the Korean Red Cross and blood transfusion data from the Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service. We analyzed these datasets in conjunction with regional population projections to simulate blood supply and demand from 2021 to 2050 across South Korea. Sensitivity analyses were conducted to assess the impact of various factors, including the number of donors, age eligibility criteria for donations, frequency of donations, and blood discard rates. RESULTS: Our projections indicate a decreasing trend in blood supply, from 2.6 million units in 2021 to 1.4 million units by 2050, while demand is expected to peak at 5.1 million units by 2045 before declining. Metropolitan areas, particularly Gyeonggi Province, are projected to experience the most severe shortages. Sensitivity analyses suggest that increasing the donation frequency of existing donors and relaxing age eligibility criteria are more effective strategies in addressing these imbalances than merely increasing the number of new donors. Blood discard rates showed minimal impact on the overall blood shortage. CONCLUSION: The findings emphasize the urgent need for targeted strategies to mitigate national and regional blood supply shortages in South Korea. Encouraging frequent donations from experienced donors and broadening eligibility criteria are critical steps toward stabilizing the blood supply amidst demographic shifts. These strategies must be prioritized to address the impending regional disparities in blood availability.

Factors Influencing Blood Donation among Young Saudi Arabian Adults: A Cross-Sectional Study to Inform Donor Recruitment and Retention Programs.

OBJECTIVE: Blood donation is critical in Saudi Arabia due to high rates of sickle cell disease and thalassemia. Recent trends show a decline in the number of blood donors, threatening blood supplies for medical treatments. This study aims to identify factors that influence blood donation decisions and behaviors among young Saudi Arabian adults to develop strategies to enhance donation rates. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted with 407 university students in Riyadh Province (Shaqra, Riyadh City, Al-Majmaah and Al-Duwadimi) and occurred from December 2022 to May 2023, using convenience sampling. Data were collected via online questionnaires and analyzed using logistic regression. RESULTS: Findings revealed a significant gender disparity in donation rates with males more likely to donate. Knowledge gaps were prevalent, especially regarding eligibility criteria. Support for organ donation, prior experience of receiving blood, and high levels of self-determined motivation positively associated with donation likelihood. Conversely, amotivation was a strong negative predictor of donation. CONCLUSION: This study highlights the importance of educational interventions to address misconceptions about blood donation and tailor campaigns to enhance donor motivation. Strategies focusing on these aspects could improve the donor pool and ensure a stable blood supply for patients with blood disorders in Saudi Arabia.

Short- and long-term effects of incentives on prosocial behavior: The case of ride vouchers to a blood collection agency.

This study addresses the challenge of low blood donation rates in developing countries by examining the effectiveness of a barrier-removal incentive-a one-day transportation voucher-to promote blood donation. Utilizing a longitudinal dataset of 23,750 donors from a Brazilian blood collection agency (BCA) collected between March 2018 and May 2020, we examine the short and long-term effects of this campaign on donation rates. Our results show that the incentive had a large positive influence on both donation attempts and successful donations on the day of the campaign. However, the short-term success of the intervention had an unintended consequence: the significant increase in prospective donors' waiting time at the BCA during the intervention day, which may help explain the negative impact on return rates in the 24-month follow-up. Despite these opposing outcomes, the net effect of the one-day blood donation incentive was still positive, offering valuable insights for BCAs aiming to enhance donor recruitment and retention strategies and emphasizing the need to balance immediate benefits with potential long-term impacts.

Prevalence of Hemoplasma spp. positivity in potential feline blood donors and study of the association with selected clinical variables.

BACKGROUND: Hemotropic mycoplasmas, hemoplasmas, are epi-erythrocytic parasitic bacteria that can be transmitted through blood transfusion. OBJECTIVES: To study the prevalence of hemoplasma infection of potential feline blood donors and investigate the association between Hemoplasma spp. quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) positivity in blood units and selected variables. ANIMALS: Seven thousand five hundred seventy-three blood units from 4121 privately-owned potential donor cats. METHODS: Retrospective observational cross-sectional study. The Banco Sangue Animal (BSA)-Animal Blood Bank medical database was reviewed for all feline donations performed in 2022 in Portugal, Spain, and Belgium. Baseline characteristics and results of blood-borne pathogens screening tests were extracted from the medical records. RESULTS: Two hundred twelve of 4034 Portuguese donor cats and 2 of 70 Spanish donor cats tested positive for Hemoplasma spp. qPCR in 2022 leading to an overall estimated prevalence of 5.2% (95% CI: 4.5%-5.9%) in potential blood donors. Using multivariable generalized estimation equation models, Hemoplasma spp. qPCR was more often positive among blood units issued from male cats (OR = 1.9, 95% CI: 1.4-2.6, P < .0001), units positive for FeLV (OR = 2.8, 95% CI: 1.4-5.6, P = .0023), and units collected in winter months (OR = 2.5, 95% CI: 1.7-3.6, P < .0001). CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL IMPORTANCE: This study underscores the importance of Hemoplasma spp. and other relevant blood-borne pathogens screening at every donation. Implementing stringent screening protocols is crucial to mitigate the risk of hemoplasma transmission via blood transfusions, thereby safeguarding the health and welfare of cats receiving transfusions.

Sociodemographic Profile of Blood Donations and Ways to Encourage Them.

INTRODUCTION: Maintaining blood stocks in Brazil faces challenges; hence, it is crucial to develop effective strategies to recruit and retain donors, such as campaigns and social marketing programs to raise awareness, but there is a lack of studies about the donators' profiles, as well as their barriers or incentives. OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to analyze the characteristics of donors and the factors that influence their decisions. METHODS: This was a cross-sectional study carried out between April and November 2022 using a structured questionnaire sent through a community created on Facebook, addressing common people over 18 years old, containing closed questions, supported by Google Forms. Statistical analyses were carried out using IBM SPSS Statistics for Windows, Version 17 (Released 2008; IBM Corp., Armonk, New York, United States) and the Chi-square and Fisher's exact tests, with p < 0.05. RESULTS: The sample relied on 1019 participants, women (72.8%), age group > 30 years (81.1%), the most represented blood type was O positive (37.5%), and men donated more frequently than women (76.5% vs. 40.6%). The main reasons for not donating are medical conditions (39.7%) and lack of time (33.8%). The main reasons for donating are helping voluntarily (97.6%) and donating to family/friends (96.4%). CONCLUSION: There was a significant difference between the genders of blood donors, with more men donating, especially those over 30 years old, and with income between 1-8 minimum wages. The main barriers to donating are lack of time and information. Based on this, it is possible to target campaigns at women, young people, and people with income above nine minimum wages. The main reasons for donating are altruism, obtaining test results, and financial benefits.