"I am the one taking care of her and donating blood": lived experiences of role-routines of hospital-based informal caregiving in Nigeria.

PURPOSE: Informal caregivers (ICs) in Africa perform a long list of tasks to support hospitalization care. However, available studies are weak in accounting for the experiences of everyday role-routines of hospital-based informal caregiving (HIC) in under-resourced settings. This article explored the experiences of role-routines among informal caregivers in a Nigerian tertiary health facility. METHODS: The ethnographic exploratory study relied on primary data collected from 75 participants, including 21 ICs, 15 inpatients, 36 hospital staff, and 3 ad-hoc/paid carers in a tertiary health facility in Southwestern Nigeria. RESULTS: ICs perform several essential roles for hospitalized relatives, with each role characterized by a range of tasks. An integrative narrative of everyday routines of HIC as experienced by ICs showed critical complexities and complications involved in seemingly simple tasks of assisting hospitalized relatives with hygiene maintenance, medical investigations, blood donation, resource mobilization, errand-running, patient- and self-care and others. The role-routines are burdensome and ICs' experiences of them revealed the undercurrents of how health systems dysfunctions condition family members to support hospitalization care in Nigeria. CONCLUSION: The intensity and repetitive nature of role-routines is suggestive of "routinization of suffering". We recommend the closing of gaps driving hospital-based informal caregiving in Africa's under-resourced settings.

A virtual reality paradigm simulating blood donation serves as a platform to test interventions to promote donation.

Effective interventions that support blood donor retention are needed. Yet, integrating an intervention into the time-pressed and operationally sensitive context of a blood donation center requires justification for disruptions to an optimized process. This research provides evidence that virtual reality (VR) paradigms can serve as a research environment in which interventions can be tested prior to being delivered in blood donation centers. Study 1 (N = 48) demonstrated that 360°-video VR blood donation environments elicit a similar profile of emotional experience to a live donor center. Presence and immersion were high, and cybersickness symptoms low. Study 2 (N = 134) was an experiment deploying the 360°-video VR environments to test the impact of an intervention on emotional experience and intentions to donate. Participants in the intervention condition who engaged in a suite of tasks drawn from the process model of emotion regulation (including attentional deployment, positive reappraisal, and response modulation) reported more positive emotion than participants in a control condition, which in turn increased intentions to donate blood. By showing the promise for benefitting donor experience via a relatively low-cost and low-resource methodology, this research supports the use of VR paradigms to trial interventions prior to deployment in operationally-context field settings.

Screening and Analysis of SARS-CoV-2 Antibody Among Unvaccinated Blood Donors in Chongqing, China.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the rate of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) antibody among unvaccinated voluntary blood donors in Chongqing, and to provide evidence for epidemic surveillance. METHODS: A total of 10,208 voluntary blood donors from January 5 to January 20, 2021, in the Chongqing area were collected, and the SARS-CoV-2 immunoglobulin (Ig) G and IgM antibodies were detected by chemiluminescence, and the differences of antibody-positive rate in different gender, age, ABO blood group, and different risk areas were analyzed. RESULTS: Among 10208 blood donors, 10 were found to be positive for SARS-COV-2 IgG antibody, giving a positivity rate of SARS-COV-2 IgG at 0.10%, and 29 were positive for SARS-CoV-2 IgM antibody, with a positivity rate of SARS-CoV-2 IgM at 0.28%. There was no statistical difference in the positive rate of antibody among different genders, ages, and ABO blood types, but it was related to the number of confirmed coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) cases in each city. CONCLUSIONS: The SARS-CoV-2 seroprevalence rate in Chongqing was low and correlated with the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases.

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

INTRODUCTION: 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. METHODS: 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. RESULTS: 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). CONCLUSION: 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.

Attitude towards blood donation and its associated factors, types of blood donation, willingness, and feeling towards blood donation among potential blood donors in Ethiopia: systematic review and meta-analysis, observational study.

INTRODUCTION: Blood donation is crucial for certain populations, such as pregnant mothers, anemic patients, traumatized patients, and individuals undergoing surgery. The imbalance between the number of blood donors and the demand for blood in Ethiopia is a serious public health concern. Having a favorable attitude towards blood donation could aid in correcting this imbalance. Therefore, this study aimed to assess the proportion of favorable attitudes, types of blood donation, willingness, and feelings towards blood donation in Ethiopia. METHODS: Several databases were searched to retrieve the available articles. Heterogeneity and publication bias were assessed using the Galbraith plot with Cochrane I2 statistics and funnel plot with Egger's test, respectively. Subgroup analysis was done to identify the cause of the substantial heterogeneity. RESULT: The pooled prevalence of favorable attitudes about blood donation was 65.28% (60.10-70.47). A higher prevalence was reported among studies conducted after 2020, in Northern Ethiopia and among health care professionals: 72.66%, 68.45%, and 69.41%, respectively. The percentages of people who had good feelings, willing to donate, and encouraged others to donate are 83.99%, 74.23%, and 77.96%, respectively. Conversely, 42.84% of participants believe that risk will happen following donation. There was an association between knowledge and attitude towards blood donation (AOR = 1.76; 95% CI: 1.48-2.99). CONCLUSION: The findings of this study may imply the preparation of a blood donation campaign that helps the community. Concerned bodies from governmental and non-governmental organizations may arrange and design community education, which may increase the number of voluntary donors.

Meeting the transfusion needs of a patient with anti-Ena requires an international effort.

This extraordinary case showcases the identification of a rare anti-Ena specificity that was assisted by DNA-based red blood cell antigen typing and collaboration between the hospital blood bank in the United States, the home blood center in Qatar, the blood center Immunohematology Reference Laboratory, as well as the American Rare Donor Program (ARDP) and the International Society for Blood Transfusion (ISBT) International Rare Donor Panel. Ena is a high-prevalence antigen, and blood samples from over 200 individuals of the extended family in Qatar were crossmatched against the patient's plasma with one compatible En(a-) individual identified. The ISBT International Rare Donor Panel identified an additional donor in Canada, resulting in a total of two En(a-) individuals available to donate blood for the patient.

Influence of Gender and Previous Blood Donation Status on Attitude Toward Blood Donation: a Cross-Sectional Study.

BACKGROUND: Blood supply shortage may affect the health of patients who are transfusion-dependent. Consequently, blood donation plays an important role in the community as it can provide sufficient blood supply at blood bank centers. Medical sciences students can help promote blood donation. The current study aimed to assess the knowledge on, attitude toward, and barriers on blood donation among medical sciences students at the Faculty of Applied Medical Sciences of Jazan University, Saudi Arabia. METHODS: An online questionnaire with 23 knowledge and attitude questions was established using Google Forms. Statistical analysis was performed based on gender and blood donation status (never donated, unable to donate, and donated blood). RESULTS: In total, 601 participants from six different departments responded to the questionnaire. Interestingly, female students had a higher rate of accurate responses toward the knowledge and attitude questions than male students (p < 0.01). Furthermore, students who previously donated had a higher rate of accurate responses to the questions than those who were not able to or never donated blood (p < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: The questionnaire was designed to assess the general knowledge and attitude of medical sciences students and barriers on blood donation. Female gender and a history of blood donation had a significant impact on responses. Therefore, more efforts are required to educate students regarding the importance of blood donation among patients who are transfusion-dependent.

Rational or altruistic: the impact of social media information exposure on Chinese youth's willingness to donate blood.

Background: Non-remunerated blood donation is the main approach for various medical institutions to get the source of blood supply, but the blood supply shortage is still a problem in today's society. Social media has become the main approach of information acquisition for youth groups nowadays, and the information on social media will have an impact on people's behavioral decisions. The objective of this study was therefore to investigate the correlation between social media exposure to relevant information about blood donation and the willingness of youths to donate blood. Methods: We collected data from 455 questionnaires through an online questionnaire and structural equation modeling was constructed for validation. Data were analyzed for reliability, validity, and demographic differences using IBM-SPSS 26.0, and IBM-SPSS-AMOS 26.0 was used for model fit analysis and path analysis. Results: The results of the study showed that there was a positive correlation between social media exposure to relevant blood donation information and willingness to donate blood (ß = 0.262, p < 0.001), altruism (ß = 0.203, p < 0.001) and self-efficacy (ß = 0.170, p < 0.001). While there was also a positive correlation between attitude toward blood donation and self-efficacy (ß = 0.560, p < 0.001), there was no positive correlation between it and willingness to donate blood (ß = -0.180, p = 0.786). There was also a positive correlation between altruism and willingness to donate blood (ß = 0.150, p < 0.05) and attitude toward blood donation (ß = 0.150, p < 0.001). Similarly, there was a positive correlation between self-efficacy and willingness to donate blood (ß = 0.371, p < 0.001). Conclusion: Exposure to more information related to blood donation on social media can increase the willingness of the youth population to donate blood, while exposure to information related to altruism and self-efficacy on social media can also enhance young people's attitudes toward blood donation, while further strengthening their willingness to donate.

New atypical epidemiological profile of parvovirus B19 revealed by molecular screening of blood donations, France, winter 2023/24.

In France, blood donations are tested in pools of 96 samples for parvovirus B19 (B19V) DNA to discard plasma for fractionation when it contains high viral loads. Between January 2015 and March 2024, B19V-positive donations decreased during the COVID-19 pandemic, followed by a strong rebound in 2023 and unusually high circulation during winter 2023/24 (ca 10 times higher December 2023-March 2024 vs the pre-pandemic period). Variations over time are probably related to measures implemented to limit SARS-CoV-2 spread.

Identification of the novel HLA-DQB1*06:466 allele by next-generation sequencing in a Chinese cord blood donor.

HLA-DQB1*06:466 differs from HLA-DQB1*06:01:01:01 by a single nucleotide substitution at position 571G→A.

PD-BAT: A novel approach of pooling basophil donors for expansion of commercial laboratory testing of Chronic Spontaneous Urticaria.

The type II autoimmune subtype of Chronic Spontaneous Urticaria (CSU) is characterized by the presence of IgG autoantibodies targeting IgE or the IgE high-affinity receptor (FcεRI) on mast cells and basophils. In evaluation of CSU patients, indirect basophil activation testing (BAT), has been utilized, involving the mixing of patient serum with heterologous peripheral blood donors, followed by flow cytometric assessment of basophil markers. However, the reliability of the indirect BAT results hinges on the quality of the donor basophils utilized. In this study, we introduce an innovative approach where multiple potential basophil donors undergo rigorous BAT characterization alongside control samples. By selecting and pooling donors with optimal performance, we significantly enhance the inter-assay reproducibility of the indirect BAT test.

Determination of optimum levels of binding antibody units (BAU) of new quantitative chemiluminescent immuno-assay (CLIA) in COVID-19 vaccinated volunteer blood donors.

BACKGROUND: For assessment of COVID-19 vaccine efficacy, neutralization activity of anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibody is measured. This study was undertaken to determine optimum levels of binding antibody units (BAU/ml) in new quantitative chemiluminescent assay (CLIA) that corresponded to neutralizing potential (30% inhibition) of sVNT assay. METHODS: Ninety-one blood samples were analyzed by CLIA and sVNT assays. Test samples (n = 75) were collected from blood donors post-2nd vaccination dose, while control samples (n = 16) were archived pre-COVID donor samples. Correlation between CLIA and sVNT was calculated and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was drawn and analyzed. RESULTS: Results indicated excellent correlation between 57.5 BAU/ml on CLIA and 30%inhibition on sVNT assay. ROC curve analysis revealed that the area under the curve (AUC) was 0.971. DISCUSSION: The present study determined that 57.5 BAU/ml on CLIA corresponded to 30% inhibition on sVNT assay. Periodic quantitative analysis.

Trends in immunological markers of transfusion transmissible infections among blood donors in Mamfe District Hospital, Southwest Cameroon.

BACKGROUND: Blood transfusion is associated with exposure to blood Transfusion Transmissible Infection (TTIs). The threat posed by the blood-borne pathogens is disproportionately distributed in different healthcare facilities in Cameroon. Thus, there is a need for continuous surveillance of TTIs in the country. This study aimed to assess the screening procedure for blood transfusion and determine the trend in immunological markers of TTIs among blood donors at the Mamfe District Hospital. METHODS: A prospective descriptive, cross-sectional and analytical study was conducted at Mamfe District Hospital from March to May 2022. A total of 165 blood donors were recruited by the consecutive sampling method. Donors were screened using both Rapid diagnostic tests,T. pallidum haemagglutination test and indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for the detection of TTIs. Data generated was entered into an Excel spreadsheet and analysed using the statistical software R, version 4.2.0. Statistical analysis included descriptive statistics of percentages, means ± standard deviation, and student t-test was used to compare both diagnostic techniques, and was considered significant when p < 0.05. RESULTS: A hundred and sixty-five donors were enrolled in the study with a male preponderance giving a male-female sex ratio of 22.5 and a mean age of 32.23 ± 8.60 years. The majority (75.2%) of the donors were of the O-positive blood type, repeat donors (69.1%) and were mainly family replacement and paid donors as against the voluntary blood donors (39.4% and 37.0% vs. 23.6% respectively). overall TTIs prevalence was 18.78% (31/165) (), with HBsAg being the most predominant marker at 12.12% (20/165) followed by Treponema pallidum, HCV and HIV antibodies at 4.85 (8/165), 1.21%(2/165), 0.60% (1/165) respectively. Except for the HBV, The prevalence of TTIs was higher when using a single RDT than the ELISA test, and the difference was significant (p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Bloodborne pathogens remain a major menace to safe blood transfusion practice in Mamfe district hospital and their detection could be easily missed if the RDT method alone is used for donor screening. Therefore, the donor screening protocol in Mamfe District Hospital should systematically incorporate a confirmation diagnostic test such as ELISA.

Blood donation projections using hierarchical time series forecasting: the case of Zimbabwe's national blood bank.

BACKGROUND: The discrepancy between blood supply and demand requires accurate forecasts of the blood supply at any blood bank. Accurate blood donation forecasting gives blood managers empirical evidence in blood inventory management. The study aims to model and predict blood donations in Zimbabwe using hierarchical time series. The modelling technique allows one to identify, say, a declining donor category, and in that way, the method offers feasible and targeted solutions for blood managers to work on. METHODS: The monthly blood donation data covering the period 2007 to 2018, collected from the National Blood Service Zimbabwe (NBSZ) was used. The data was disaggregated by gender and blood groups types within each gender category. The model validation involved utilising actual blood donation data from 2019 and 2020. The model's performance was evaluated through the Mean Absolute Percentage Error (MAPE), uncovering expected and notable discrepancies during the Covid-19 pandemic period only. RESULTS: Blood group O had the highest monthly yield mean of 1507.85 and 1230.03 blood units for male and female donors, respectively. The top-down forecasting proportions (TDFP) under ARIMA, with a MAPE value of 11.30, was selected as the best approach and the model was then used to forecast future blood donations. The blood donation predictions for 2019 had a MAPE value of 14.80, suggesting alignment with previous years' donations. However, starting in April 2020, the Covid-19 pandemic disrupted blood collection, leading to a significant decrease in blood donation and hence a decrease in model accuracy. CONCLUSIONS: The gradual decrease in future blood donations exhibited by the predictions calls for blood authorities in Zimbabwe to develop interventions that encourage blood donor retention and regular donations. The impact of the Covid-19 pandemic distorted the blood donation patterns such that the developed model did not capture the significant drop in blood donations during the pandemic period. Other shocks such as, a surge in global pandemics and other disasters, will inevitably affect the blood donation system. Thus, forecasting future blood collections with a high degree of accuracy requires robust mathematical models which factor in, the impact of various shocks to the system, on short notice.

COVID-19 impact on blood donor characteristics and seroprevalence of transfusion-transmitted infections in southern Thailand between 2018 and 2022.

Blood safety is a critical aspect of healthcare systems worldwide involving rigorous screening, testing, and processing protocols to minimize the risk of transfusion-transmitted infections (TTIs). The present study offers a comprehensive assessment of the prevalence of hepatitis B virus (HBV), hepatitis C virus (HCV), human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), and syphilis among blood donors in southern Thailand. It explores the consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic on the blood transfusion service, donor characteristics, and the prevalence of TTIs. A retrospective analysis of 65,511 blood donors between 2018 and 2022 was conducted at Songklanagarind Hospital, Thailand. The socio-demographic characteristics of the donors were examined using the Chi-square test to assess the relationship between TTIs serological positivity and donor characteristics. The donors were divided into pre-COVID-19 (2018-2019) and during COVID-19 (2020-2022) groups to evaluate the impacts of COVID-19. The study found that HBV had the highest overall prevalence at 243 per hundred thousand (pht), followed by syphilis (118 pht), HCV (32 pht), and HIV (31 pht) over a five-year period of study. After COVID-19, the prevalence of HBV decreased by 21.8%; HCV decreased by 2.1%; HIV increased by 36.4%; and syphilis increased by 9.2%. The socio-demographic characteristics and TTIs prevalence were significantly altered over time. This study provides insights into blood donor characteristics and TTIs prevalence in southern Thailand, highlighting the understanding of the impact of COVID-19 on the spread of TTIs.

Genotypic Frequency of Rh Cw Antigen in Blood Donors of Northern Pakistan.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the genotypic frequency of Rh Cw antigen in blood donors of Northern Pakistan. STUDY DESIGN: Descriptive cross-sectional study. Place and Duration of the Study: Department of Molecular Haematology, Armed Forces Institute of Transfusion (AFIT), Rawalpindi, Pakistan, from August 2022 to January 2023. METHODOLOGY: Blood donors were randomly selected. Venous blood samples were taken in K3-EDTA anticoagulant tubes. ABO and Rh D grouping were performed conventionally. DNA for Rh Cw genotyping was extracted via Chelex TM, followed by PCR amplification using an ABI 2700 thermal cycler. Human growth hormone (HGH) acts as an internal control. Amplified products underwent Polyacrylamide gel Electrophoresis (PAGE). RESULTS: There were 400 randomly chosen donors whose ages ranged from 26-35 years, with a predominantly male population (94.8%) of Punjabi origin (67.8%). The majority (87.3%) was RhD positive. Blood group B was the most prevalent (35%) in the studied population, followed by O (34.75%). Only 1.5% had Rh Cw antigen. Rh Cw was more prevalent in ABO-positive participants (87.25%) compared to ABO-negative (12.75%). CONCLUSION: There was a 1.5% prevalence of Rh Cw antigen genotype in randomly selected Northern Pakistani blood donors. Rh Cw prevalence was higher in ABO-positive participants. Significant correlation (<0.05) existed between RhD and Cw antigens. Given the implications of anti-Cw antibody, including Cw antigen-positive cells in antibody screening is recommended. KEY WORDS: Alloimmunisation, Blood donors, HDFN, Phenotype, Rh antigens, Transfusion.

Equity in blood transfusion precision services.

BACKGROUND: Blood collection agencies are integrating precision medicine techniques to improve and individualise blood donor and recipient outcomes. These organisations have a role to play in ensuring equitable application of precision medicine technologies for both donors and transfusion recipients. BODY: Precision medicine techniques, including molecular genetic testing and next generation sequencing, have been integrated in transfusion services to improve blood typing and matching with the aim to reduce a variety of known transfusion complications. Internationally, priorities in transfusion research have aimed to optimise services through the use of precision medicine technologies and consider alternative uses of genomic information to personalise transfusion experiences for both recipients and donors. This has included focusing on the use of genomics when matching blood products for transfusion recipients, to personalise a blood donor's donation type or frequency, and longitudinal donor research utilising blood donor biobanks. CONCLUSION: Equity in precision services and research must be of highest importance for blood collection agencies to maintain public trust, especially when these organisations rely on volunteer donors to provide transfusion services. The investment in implementing equitable precision medicine services, including development of blood donor biobanks, has the potential to optimise and personalise services for both blood donors and transfusion recipients.

[Feasibility Analysis of Establishing Combat Readiness Blood Bank Based on Low Titer Group O Whole Blood and Group A Plasma].

OBJECTIVE: To explore the feasibility of establishing combat readiness blood bank with low titer group O whole blood and group A plasma. METHODS: The Galileo automatic blood analyzer was used to detect the titers of IgM anti-A and anti-B antibodies in the samples of group O blood donors and IgM anti-B titer in the samples of group A blood donors. Group O blood donors with antibody titers below 128 were selected and included in the mobile blood bank for combat readiness, group A plasma with anti-B titer lower than 128 and group O whole blood with antibody titers below 128 were included in the combat readiness entity blood bank. RESULTS: A total of 1 452 group O blood donors were selected, and the anti-A/B antibody titers were detected. Both antibody titers were distributed below 512, and both peak values of sample distribution were at titer 4. The proportion of samples with titers>128 for both antibodies was relatively low. There was a significant positive correlation between the titers of the two antibodies (r =0.383), and the proportion of samples with IgM anti-A titer higher than IgM anti-B titer was relatively high. 1 335(91.94%) group O blood donors with IgM anti-A and anti-B antibody titers <128 could be included in the mobile blood bank. The anti-B titer of group A blood was detected in 512 cases and the results showed that as the antibody titer increased, the proportion of blood donors gradually decreased. 99.8% of group A blood donors had anti-B antibody titer less than 128, and only one case did not meet the inclusion criteria. CONCLUSION: The proportion of group O blood donors whose whole blood meet the low antibody titer standard is high, and almost all plasma of group A blood donors meet the low titer standard, which improves the blood supply rate in emergencies.