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.

Educational Outcomes and Perception Changes in Medical Students After Visiting a Blood Donation Center.

Educating primary care physicians about blood donation and transfusion is critical. The Division of Hematology and Oncology at Soonchunhyang University Seoul Hospital in Korea introduced an on-site educational program termed the Blood Donation Center Visiting Program in the clerkship education for final-year medical students. We evaluated the educational outcomes and changes in perception among medical students after the Blood Donation Center Visiting Program based on a survey. The program was implemented from 2021 to 2023. As part of the program, students visited a blood donation center each week, one group at a time. They gained practical knowledge about the blood donation process, and some students actively participated in blood donation. After the program, 287 students were eligible for an online survey of the program, of whom 203 participated in the survey. Among the 203 students, 126 (62.1%) donated blood during their visit to the blood donation center as part of the program, and 88.7% of the students reported an increase (from 71.4% to 90.1%) in their knowledge and willingness to donate blood. The on-site educational Blood Donation Center Visiting Program appears to have generated positive changes in perceptions among students and enhanced their knowledge about blood donation.

The effectiveness of iron education through a mobile application on donor return after deferral for low hemoglobin.

BACKGROUND: Low hemoglobin level is a common cause of donor deferral and results in a huge loss of the donor pool. This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of a mobile application as an educational tool to enhance donor return and improve hemoglobin levels after deferral. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This was an interventional study involving 382 blood donors who were deferred for low hemoglobin. The donors were divided equally into two groups: a control group and the intervention group. The control group received standard management for low hemoglobin deferral, which includes a short counseling session and a 1-month course of oral iron therapy. The intervention group used a mobile application in addition to standard management. The primary endpoint was the number of blood donors who returned during the 7 months of follow-up. The secondary endpoints were the hemoglobin increment at the first visit after the donors' deferral. RESULTS: The return rate was higher in the intervention group, with 81.2% of the donors returning in the 7 months of follow-up compared to 66% of the control group (p<0.001). Male and female donors had mean hemoglobin increments of 1.0 g/dL and 0.7 g/dL, respectively, in the intervention group, compared to decrements of 0.2 g/dL and 0.4 g/dL, respectively, in the control group (p<0.001). Multivariable analysis showed a significant association between intervention method, education level and donation status on donor return (p=0.015, p<0.001, and p<0.001, respectively). DISCUSSION: Higher return rate and greater hemoglobin increase in the interventional group could be attributed to features in the mobile application. Repeat donors had the highest odds of returning to donate, followed by those with a tertiary level of education, and those given the mobile application. This study showed that a mobile application was effective in enhancing donor return and increasing hemoglobin level among deferred blood donors on their first return.

Social Contagion of Vasovagal Symptoms in Blood Donors: Interactions With Empathy.

BACKGROUND: Vasovagal reactions (VVRs) are commonly experienced in medical situations such as blood donation. Many believe that psychosocial contagion can contribute to the development of VVRs, but this is largely clinical lore. PURPOSE: The goal of the present investigation was to examine the physiological effects of observing another experience a reaction, focusing on the potential moderating effects of empathy. METHODS: This study was part of a randomized controlled trial of behavioral techniques on the prevention of VVRs in blood donors. The sample was composed of 530 healthy university students. Measures of symptoms were obtained with the Blood Donation Reactions Inventory (BDRI) and through observation. Physiological variables were measured using respiratory capnometry and a digital blood pressure monitor. The Affective and Cognitive Measure of Empathy was administered to 230 participants. RESULTS: Donors who witnessed another experiencing a reaction were more likely to spontaneously report symptoms during the blood draw, to be treated for a reaction, to score higher on the BDRI, and to exhibit smaller compensatory heart rate increases. Donors with higher affective empathy reported more symptoms, exhibited hyperventilation, and were more likely to be treated. Donors with higher cognitive empathy were less likely to require treatment if they witnessed a reaction. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that psychosocial contagion of physical symptoms can occur. The moderating effects of empathy differed depending on the subtype of empathy. Perhaps a better cognitive understanding of how other people are feeling functions as a coping response, whereas feeling sympathetic about others' distress increases one's own.

Improving the donation experience and reducing venipuncture pain by addressing fears among whole-blood and plasma donors.

BACKGROUND: Fear of blood donation is implicated in vasovagal reactions, donor recruitment, and retention. This study examined the extent to which fear among donors is associated with various donor outcomes in an Australian sample, and whether fear can be addressed on-site to reduce adverse reactions and improve the donation experience. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: Six hundred and sixty-four donors (age M = 33.4, SD = 12.7; 55% female) participated in a two-center, pragmatic, parallel group, individually randomized controlled trial. Following donor registration and consent, whole-blood (n = 539) and plasma (n = 125) donors were assigned to one of four Conditions: control; fear assessment; fear assessment + brochure; fear assessment + brochure + tailored conversation focused on any self-reported fear and coping strategies. Post-donation questionnaires assessed the donors' experience including positive support, donor self-efficacy, anxiety, fear, venipuncture pain, and vasovagal reactions. RESULTS: Fear among donors predicted higher venipuncture pain, post-donation anxiety, and vasovagal reactions and remained significant after controlling for other established predictors (i.e., total estimated blood volume, age, sex, and donation experience). Mediational analyses showed that exposure to brochures (with or without the tailored conversation) was associated with less pain, with this effect mediated by donor perceptions of more positive support. Venipuncture pain was also associated with vasovagal reactions, reduced likelihood of return within 6 months, and less satisfaction with the donation experience. CONCLUSION: The current results underline the importance of interventions to address fear among both whole-blood and plasma donors to secure the safety and well-being of donors and the blood supply.

Intention to voluntary blood donation among private higher education students, Jimma town, Oromia, Ethiopia: Application of the theory of planned behaviour.

BACKGROUND: Blood is an important and crucial component in the management of patients presenting with severe accident injuries, surgical conditions, malignancies, pregnancy-related complications, and other medical conditions. OBJECTIVES: To assess intention to voluntary blood donation among private higher education students in Jimma Town, South West Ethiopia, 2019. METHODS: Institution-based cross-sectional study with quantitative methods was conducted in private higher education students in Jimma town. A multistage sampling technique was used to recruit study participants. First, a simple random sampling technique was used to select departments in each private higher education institution. Seven departments were included in the study and after proportionally allocated in each department, a total of 595 were participated in the study, producing a response rate of 98%. The data was collected using self-administered structured questioners with 3 trained data collectors. Multivariable linear regression analysis was done to assess association between the independent variables and dependent variable. RESULTS: The mean score for intention of the respondents to donate blood voluntarily was 15.41 out of 25 with standard deviation of 4.42.The TPB variables explained 61.3% of the variance of intention to donate blood. Direct perceived behavioral control (ß = 0.745, P < 0.001), direct attitude (B = 0.295, P<0.001) and direct subjective norm (ß = 0.131, P< 0.001) were significant predictors of the intention. CONCLUSION: Respondents' intentions are mainly determined by perceived barriers and, subjective norms, the attitude of respondents towards voluntary blood donation.

Awareness and practice of cord blood donation by pregnant women in Lagos Nigeria: Practice implication for future cord blood transplantation in Nigeria.

Background: Poor awareness remains a substantial limitation to harnessing the benefits of umbilical cord blood (UCB) in sub-Saharan Africa. The aim of this study was to determine the level of awareness and factors influencing intention to donate cord blood to blood bank among antenatal clinic attendees at a tertiary hospital in Nigeria. Methods: We conducted a questionnaire-based cross-sectional study of 400 women attending the antenatal clinic of a tertiary hospital in Lagos, Nigeria, between February and June 2018. The data were analyzed using Stata version 13; comparisons were conducted with Chi-square, Student's t-test, and Mann-Whitney U-test. Univariable and multivariable binary logistic regression was conducted with "willingness to donate" as the outcome variable. Results: Majority (n = 287/331 [86.2%, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 76.4-84.9]) of the participants had some knowledge of UCB, almost half intended future donation of UCB (n = 161/333, [48.3%, 95% CI: 42.9-53.6]). Based on our findings, factors such as religion (P = 0.001), education (P = 0.03), information from health-care provider (P < 0.001) appear to influence awareness, and the decision to donate UCB. Conclusion: Although the awareness of the clinical uses of UCB is very limited in Nigeria, the intent to participate in UCB donation is high. Factors such as religion, education, and prior information about UCB donation by health-care providers have been identified in this study to have an influence on the decision to donate UCB.

RésuméContexte: La faible sensibilisation demeure une limitation substantielle à l'exploitation des avantages du sang de cordon ombilical (UCB) en Afrique subsaharienne. Le but de cette étude était de déterminer le niveau de sensibilisation et les facteurs influençant l'intention de donner du sang de cordon à une banque de sang parmi Les participants à une clinique prénatale dans un hôpital tertiaire au Nigéria. Méthodes: Nous avons mené une étude transversale basée sur un questionnaire auprès de 400 femmes fréquentant la clinique prénatale d'un hôpital tertiaire à Lagos, au Nigeria, entre février et juin 2018. Les données ont été analysées à l'aide de Stata version 13; des comparaisons ont été effectuées avec le chi carré, le test t de Student et le test U de Mann-Whitney. Binaire univariable et multivariable une régression logistique a été effectuée avec la "volonté de donner" comme variable de résultat. Résultats: Majorité (n = 287/331 [86,2%, confiance à 95% intervalle [IC]: 76,4­84,9]) des participants avaient une certaine connaissance de l'UCB, près de la moitié des dons futurs prévus de l'UCB (n = 161/333, [48,3%, IC à 95%: 42,9-53,6]). Des facteurs tels que la religion (P = 0,001), l'éducation (P = 0,03), les informations fournies par le prestataire de soins de santé (P <0,001) ont influence la sensibilisation et la décision de faire un don d'UCB. Conclusion: Bien que la connaissance des utilisations cliniques de l'UCB soit très limitée au Nigéria, la l'intention de participer au don UCB est élevée. Facteurs tels que la religion, l'éducation et les informations préalables sur le don d'UCB par les soins de santé les prestataires ont été identifiés dans cette étude comme ayant une influence sur la décision de faire un don d'UCB.

Eligible blood donors' decisions about donating stool for fecal microbiota transplantation: Does ambivalence play a role?

Blood collection agencies (BCAs) are expanding core business by inviting blood donors to donate stool for fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT). However, whether blood donors also want to donate stool is unclear since, despite its benefits, stool donation is viewed by many as unpleasant. This study examined the prevalence, contributors to, and role of these mixed feelings (ambivalence) in stool donation intentions. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: This cross-sectional study surveyed Australian residents aged 18 years or more who believed themselves eligible to donate blood and met broad criteria for prescreening as a stool donor (eg, healthy, not taking medication). Survey questions assessed attitude, norms, self-efficacy, motives, disgust, ambivalence, and intentions to donate stool. RESULTS: A total of 382 eligible blood donors aged not more than 50 years (mean, 28.71 years; 48% female, 62% "healthy" body mass index) participated. Six percent indicated no ambivalence about donating stool. In regression, significant determinants of ambivalence were less awareness of FMT, lower self-efficacy, motivated by ensuring that stool is available for loved ones, and more disgust about stool donation. Higher ambivalence contributed to decreased donation intention. Self-efficacy and disgust differentiated participants with moderate ambivalence, a group likely responsive to intervention, from those with low or high ambivalence. CONCLUSION: Ambivalence about donating stool was common among eligible blood donors. BCAs should raise awareness about stool donation and FMT before requesting donation. BCAs may increase cost savings and donor retention by giving clear guidance about donation requirements and implementing processes that build confidence. Early screening of potential donors for ambivalence and disgust will enable BCAs to provide decision support.

The impact of COVID-19 pandemic on blood supplies and transfusion services in Eastern Mediterranean Region.

BACKGROUND: Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has spurred a global health crisis. The safety and supply of blood during this pandemic has been a concern of blood banks and transfusion services as it is expected to adversely affect blood system activities. We aim to assess the situation in the Eastern Mediterranean Region (EMR) during the first months of the pandemic. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A survey was designed to address blood supply, transfusion demand, and donor management during the coronavirus disease-19 (COVID-19) pandemic. Medical directors of different blood banks were invited to participate. RESULTS: A total of 16 centers participated with representation from 15/19 countries in the region. In total, 75% were from national blood banks. Most centres had a decrease in the blood supply, ranging from 26-50%. Representatives from 14 countries (93.3%) believed that public fear has contributed to a decrease in donations. Most centres (n=12, 75%) had a reduction in transfusion demand, while those who did not, reported heavy involvement in treating patients with underlying haemoglobinopathies and haematological malignancies. Half of the centres activated their contingency plans. Four centres had to alter the blood donor eligibility criteria to meet demands. All centres implemented donor deferral criteria in relation to SARS-CoV-2, but were variable in measures to mitigate the risk of donor and staff exposure. CONCLUSION: Blood services in the region faced variable degrees of blood shortages. We summarize lessons learnt during this pandemic for the blood banks to consider to plan, assess, and respond proportionately to future similar pandemics.

The donors perceived positive and negative effects of blood donation.

BACKGROUND: Occasionally blood donation has a negative influence on some donors, while others express feelings of increased energy or wellbeing after donation. Some donors even report symptoms such as headache or feelings of unease indicating "it is time to donate blood again." This study aims to determine symptoms and frequencies of blood donors experiencing positive and negative effects of blood donation, and study possible associations with sex, age, body mass index, smoking status, and hemoglobin level. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: We developed and validated a questionnaire with eight predefined physical and psychological symptoms related to blood donation using a 5-point Likert Scale. Participants in The Danish Blood Donor Study were asked to indicate if they experienced the present symptom prior to and/or after the donation. RESULTS: A total of 6,073 donors were included. Of the donors, 61% experienced one or more effects of blood donation. Positive effects were experienced by 18% of the donors, 29% experienced negative effects, and 14% experienced both. Most notable positive effects were alleviated headache (14%), feeling lighter (14%), and less tiredness (7%). Most notable negative effects were less energy (25%), more dizziness (22%), and more tiredness (21%). Logistic regression analysis revealed that positive effects were more likely among donors with higher BMI, older donors, and smokers. Negative effects were more likely among younger donors, donors with lower BMI, and among female donors. CONCLUSION: Analyses indicate that susceptibility to blood donation effects varies by BMI, sex, smoking status, and age, and therefore should be taken into consideration when informing donors about potential effects of blood donation.

Intention to donate blood and its predictors among adults of Gondar city: Using theory of planned behavior.

BACKGROUND: Blood transfusion is a lifesaving procedure when someone encounters severe anemia, accident or injury, surgery, heavy bleeding during childbirth and cancer chemotherapy. The average blood donation rate of Africa is 4.7/1000 inhabitants and Ethiopia is among one of the countries with the lowest annual donation rate which is 0.8/1000 population. This study assessed intention to donate blood on adults of Gondar city administration using the theory of planned behavior. METHODS: A community-based cross-sectional study was conducted. The study was conducted on two randomly selected Gondar sub-cities using systematic sampling on a sample size of 524 adults. Epi Data version 3.0 and STATA version 14 were used for entry and analysis of data respectively. Multiple linear regression was carried out to see the association between intention and sociodemographic variables, past donation experience, attitude, subjective norm and perceived behavioral control and with 95% confidence interval and a p-value of less than 0.05 was used to detect statistical significance. RESULTS: A total of 515 respondents participated in the study giving a response rate of 98%. Most of the participants were females (66.4%) and the participants' age ranges from 18 to 65 years. The variance explained by the model was 49%. The mean intention to donate blood was 3.02±1.13. Direct perceived behavioural control (ß = 0.14, CI (0.04, 0.23)), direct subjective norm (ß = 0.11: CI (0.04, 0.17), direct attitude (ß = 0.03; CI (0.01, 0.06)) and past behaviour of blood donation (ß = 0.3; CI (0.07, 0.51) were significant predictor of intention. CONCLUSION: Theory of planned behavior could be successfully applied in determining adult's blood donation intention. Predictors of intention to donate blood were past experience of blood donation, direct subjective norm, direct perceived behavioural control and direct attitude. None of the external variables predict blood donation intention.

Reduced risk of vasovagal reactions in Australian whole blood donors after national implementation of applied muscle tension and water loading.

BACKGROUND: A new national donor safety initiative was introduced in Australia in 2018, which aimed to encourage all whole blood donors to water load and to use applied muscle tension. This study evaluated the effect of this initiative on the rate of vasovagal reactions (VVR). STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: Routinely collected data were used to identify whole blood donations and any associated VVRs before (n = 167,056 donations) and after implementation (n = 215,572 donations). Multivariate logistic regression analyses were performed to evaluate the differences in VVR rates. RESULTS: The total rate of VVRs declined from 22.5 per 1000 donations to 20.6 per 1000 donations after implementation, a reduction of 8% (p < 0.001). The rate of presyncopal reactions decreased by 8% in new donors and 12% in repeat donors. No impact was observed on the rate of syncope in any of the groups. The multivariate logistic regression analysis demonstrated the odds of experiencing a presyncopal reaction was reduced by 13% following implementation, with no significant effects on syncope. CONCLUSION: The findings of this study support the use of water loading and applied muscle tension in routine whole blood collection to reduce the incidence of VVRs.

Predonation fears identify young donors at risk for vasovagal reactions.

BACKGROUND: Extending existing research on the relationship between predonation fear of having blood drawn and risk for vasovagal reactions among young donors, this study assessed the predictive power of specific donation-related fears. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: After the health screening, high school whole blood donors (59.5% female) were randomly assigned into one of three groups. Group 1 (n = 881) answered a control question about their prior night's sleep. Group 2 (n = 911) answered the sleep question and a question about fear of having blood drawn. Group 3 (n = 924) answered the sleep question, the fear of having blood drawn question, and four questions about specific donation-related fears (seeing blood, needles, pain, and fainting). RESULTS: The proportion of vasovagal reactions did not differ significantly among the groups, indicating that asking one or more fear questions before donation did not promote reactions. Fearful donors were more likely to have a vasovagal reaction, even after controlling for other important demographic and health predictors, with odds ratios ranging from 2.17 (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.44-3.27) for fear of fainting to 3.50 (95% CI, 2.34-5.23) for fear of seeing blood. Hours of sleep was not significantly related to vasovagal reaction risk. CONCLUSION: Predonation fear identifies donors who are more likely to experience a vasovagal reaction and does so without increasing the risk of such reactions. Accordingly, fear should be assessed during screening to identify those who could benefit from instruction in anxiety management and who might require greater attention to help prevent donor injury.

Sociodemographic and behavioral characteristics associated with blood donation in the United States: a population-based study.

BACKGROUND: Contemporary population-based data on characteristics associated with blood donation in the United States (U.S.) are limited. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: A cross-sectional analysis was performed among 28,739 persons aged 18 years and older who participated in the 2016 National Health Interview Survey, a household survey of the noninstitutionalized U.S. civilian population. Analyses were weighted and accounted for the complex survey design. Adjusted prevalence ratios (aPR) were estimated by multivariable log-binomial regression. RESULTS: The percentage of individuals reporting a past-year history of blood donation was 5.7% (95% confidence interval [CI], 5.3%-6.1%) and was highest in the youngest age group (18-24 years, 8.4%). A past-year history of blood donation was more common in males compared to females (6.3% vs. 5.1%; aPR, 1.12 [95% CI, 0.99-1.27]) and those born in the U.S. compared to individuals born outside the U.S. (6.4% vs. 2.4%; aPR, 1.92 [95% CI, 1.49-2.47]). The percentage of individuals with a past-year history of blood donation was significantly lower in blacks (3.9%; aPR, 0.60 [95% CI, 0.47-0.75]) and Hispanics (3.0%; aPR, 0.63 [95% CI, 0.48-0.83]) in comparison to whites (6.9%). Being a college graduate, being employed, being physically active, and never being a cigarette smoker were factors positively associated with blood donation. The percentage of individuals with a past-year history of blood donation varied by geographic census region, with prevalence being higher in the Midwest (7.3%) and South (6.0%) compared to the Northeast (4.7%) and West (4.4%). CONCLUSION: Continued differences in the blood donor population with reference to the U.S. population underscore the need to understand barriers or deterrents to blood donation. Evidence-based donor recruitment and related policies remain imperative to ensure that there is a sustainable blood supply.

Psychosocial and cognitive engineering contributions to blood transfusion.

Among the research developed in social psychology, there is a field of study questioning the mechanisms that explain prosocial behaviors. In 1956, the first links between transfusion medicine and social psychology were formed, with the study of underlying motivations to blood donation behavior. Sixty years later, the number of "fundamental" and "applied" research has widely increased, and we now have a theoretical understanding of blood donation engagement's levers, as well as experimental demonstrations of methods to activate these levers. Thus, the literature offers several strategies experimentally verified to improve the recruitment and retaining of blood donors. These methods can go from specific speeches when soliciting donors, to changes in the blood donation environment, etc. They aim either at impacting the donation experience, at obtaining a change in the donor's behavior, or at changing the determinants of blood donation. Yet, it is clear that the knowledge from the research in social psychology is not really deployed on the field by the organizations that could benefit from it. In this article, we will try to develop the difficulty regarding the application of fundamental and experimental knowledge, and to underline the implications for the blood transfusion establishments. We will then present the psychosocial and cognitive engineering method, and argue its relevance to answer this problematic.

Estimating the risk of blood donation fainting for self versus others: the moderating effect of fear.

BACKGROUND: People overestimate the likelihood that blood donors will experience faint and prefaint reactions, particularly if they are themselves fearful of having blood drawn. This study investigated the influence of making a risk assessment for oneself versus others, and examined whether providing information about the low base rates of reactions affected donation attitude, anxiety, and intention. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: An anonymous online survey was completed by 3702 individuals (53.9% female; mean age, 36.9 years; standard deviation, 12.1 years; range, 18-84) that included questions about fear of having blood drawn and estimation of the risk of donation-related faint and prefaint symptoms for themselves and others. A random one-half of the respondents received accurate information about the proportion of whole blood donors who experience such reactions before all participants completed questions concerning their donation attitude, anxiety, and intention. RESULTS: Estimates of both faint and prefaint reactions revealed a pattern of lower perceived risk for self versus others among individuals with low fear, and higher perceived risk for self versus others among those with high fear. Provision of accurate information about risk of reactions was associated with more positive donation attitudes (F[1, 3692] = 8.182, p = 0.004) and intentions (F[1, 3692] = 10.137, p = 0.001) but did not significantly affect anxiety. CONCLUSION: Donation-related fear is associated with inflated expectancies of adverse events, especially regarding oneself. Such fear may be particularly important to address, as it has both a direct and indirect negative effect on donor retention.

Low-grade inflammation is negatively associated with physical Health-Related Quality of Life in healthy individuals: Results from The Danish Blood Donor Study (DBDS).

BACKGROUND: Health-Related Quality of Life (HRQL) represent individuals' subjective assessment of their mental and physical well-being, and is highly predictive of future health. C-reactive protein (CRP) is a well-established marker of inflammation. Low-grade inflammation (LGI), defined as slightly increased CRP levels, is associated with increased risk of several diseases. LGI may reflect subclinical pathology, which could affect individual's subjective health assessment. This study aimed to examine whether LGI has an independent impact on self-reported health or rather is a mediator of a confounder in a large population of healthy individuals. METHODS: Plasma CRP levels were measured in 17,024 participants from the Danish Blood Donor Study (DBDS). All participants completed a standard questionnaire including smoking status, and the 12-item short-form health survey (SF-12), which is a widely used scale for HRQL. SF-12 is reported as a mental (MCS) and physical (PCS) score. The relationship between LGI (defined as a plasma CRP level between 3 mg/L and 10 mg/L) and MCS or PCS was explored by mediation analysis and adjusted multivariable linear regression analysis. Multiple imputation modelling was used to remedy missing values. The analyses were stratified according to sex and use of combined oral contraception (OC). RESULTS: In the study, 1,542 (10.3%) participants had LGI. PCS was associated with LGI in all strata, i.e. women using OC: RC = -0.36 points lower PCS in participants with LGI vs no LGI, CI: -0.94 to -0.19, women not using OC: RC = -0.63, CI: -1.05 to -0.21 and men: RC = -0.76, CI: -1.10 to -0.42. But LGI had no impact on MCS. Predictors of lower PCS included obesity, current smoking, and waist circumference in all strata. Physical activity in leisure time was the only factor positively associated with PCS. Age and physical activity in leisure time was associated with increased MCS in all strata whereas current smoking was the only strong predictor of a reduction in MCS. Only a small effect of smoking on PCS was mediated through LGI. CONCLUSION: In this population of healthy individuals, LGI had independent impact on lower self-rated physical health score in HRQL in both sexes, but was not associated with self-rated mental health score. A small and significant effect of smoking on physical health score was mediated through LGI.

The healthy donor effect impacts self-reported physical and mental health - results from the Danish Blood Donor Study (DBDS).

AIMS: This study aimed at quantifying the healthy donor effect by comparing self-perceived mental and physical health between blood donors and non-donors. BACKGROUND: In theory, the selection process known as the healthy donor effect should result in better self-perceived, health-related quality of life in donors than in non-donors. METHODS: The Short Form-12 data from the Danish Twin Registry (DTR) was compared with the data from the Danish Blood Donor Study (DBDS). Data on age, sex and smoking status were included in the analyses. The multivariable linear regression analysis was stratified by sex and age group intervals. Outcome variables were the mental component score (MCS) and the physical component score (PCS). RESULTS: A total of 28 982 and 36 913 participants from the DTR and the DBDS, respectively, were included in this study. Younger donors had higher MCS than non-donors, whereas MCS was only marginally high in older donors compared with non-donors. In contrast, PCS was almost similar for both young donors and non-donors. With the increase in age, non-donors had lower PCS than donors. CONCLUSIONS: Two selection patterns were revealed. Among young individuals, better self-perceived mental health was associated with a blood donor. With the increase in age, better self-perceived physical health was associated with blood donation.

Fear of blood draw is associated with inflated expectations of faint and prefaint reactions to blood donation.

BACKGROUND: Although the risk of fainting and prefaint reactions (e.g., dizziness, lightheadedness) is low during blood donation, there is evidence that this risk remains a concern for many donors. This study sought to measure perceived risk for such reactions within the general population and to relate perceived risk to individual reports of fear of having blood drawn. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: A sample of 1019 men and women (52.2% male; mean ± SD age, 37.2 ± 12.3 years; range, 18-80 years) completed an anonymous online survey that included questions that asked about their 1) estimation of the frequency of faint and prefaint symptoms experienced by blood donors and 2) fear of having blood drawn. RESULTS: Survey respondents overestimated the risk of both faint and prefaint reactions to blood donation, with estimates of fainting risk being more than 20 times the actual risk. Further, the perceived risk of both faint reactions (F(4,1008) = 25.88, p < 0.001) and prefaint reactions (F(4,1008) = 17.37, p < 0.001) was higher among those who reported greater fear of having blood drawn. CONCLUSION: The general public has inflated expectations of the risk for faint and prefaint reactions to blood donation, suggesting that efforts to educate prospective donors with accurate information may help to reduce this relatively common concern.

Immediate effects of blood donation on physical and cognitive performance-A randomized controlled double-blinded trial.

BACKGROUND: The success of implementing damage control resuscitation principles pre-hospital has been at the expense of several logistic burdens including the requirements for resupply, and the question of donor safety during the development of whole blood programs. Previous studies have reported effects on physical performance after blood donation; however, none have investigated the effects of blood donation on cognitive performance. METHOD: We describe a prospective double-blinded, randomized, controlled study comprised of a battery of tests: three cognitive tests, and VO2max testing on a cycle ergometer. Testing was performed 7 days before blinded donation (baseline day), immediately after donation (Day 0), and 7 days (Day 7) after donation. The inclusion criteria included being active blood donors at the Haukeland University Hospital blood bank, where eligibility requirements were met on the testing days, and providing informed consent. Participants were randomized to either the experimental (n = 26) or control group (n = 31). Control group participants underwent a 'mock donation" in which a phlebotomy needle was placed but blood was not withdrawn. RESULTS: In the experimental group, mean ± SEM VO2max declined 6% from 41.35 ± 1.7 mLO2/(min·kg) at baseline to 39.0 ± 1.6 mLO2/(min·kg) on Day 0 and increased to 40.51 ± 1.5 mLO2/(min·kg) on Day 7. Comparable values in the control group were 42.1 ± 1.8 mLO2/(min·kg) at baseline, 41.6 ± 1.8 mLO2/(min·kg)) on Day 1 (1% decline from baseline), and 41.8 ± 1.8 mLO2/(min·kg) on Day 7.Comparing scores of all three cognitive tests on Day 0 and Day 7 showed no significant differences (p > 0.05). CONCLUSION: Our main findings are that executive cognitive and physical performances were well maintained after whole blood donation in healthy blood donors. The findings inform postdonation guidance on when donors may be required to return to duty. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Randomized, controlled, double-blinded prospective trial study, level 1.