Getting personal with blood donors – the rationale for, methodology of and an overview of participants in the UK blood donor survey
- 1 August 2015
- journal article
- Published by Wiley in Transfusion Medicine
- Vol. 25 (4), 265-275
- https://doi.org/10.1111/tme.12236
Abstract
To design and pilot a survey of UK blood donors to assess, on a large scale, their understanding of and compliance with the donor selection guidelines (DSG). Compliance with the DSG is important for maintaining blood safety, however, little is currently known about the extent of this among UK donors. The online, unlinked survey was based on the donor health check form with a focus on behaviours associated with blood borne infections, sexual contact, drug use and travel. The survey materials were reviewed by a donor focus group and the survey was piloted among 2982 UK donors. Percentage responses were calculated, complaints monitored and answers to questions reviewed. The survey went live in 2013; 225 091 donors were invited via email to participate followed by two reminders. The survey was well received by the focus group, with little concern about the sensitive and personal questions. Their feedback led to important refinement in the survey materials. In the pilots, 21·0% (627/2982) responded, a reminder was necessary to achieve this. Among responders, there was evidence of non-compliance and test seeking behaviour, and no evidence that intention to donate again was affected. In the live survey, 29% (65 439) responded; responders were generally representative of donors overall. A large scale survey of donor compliances is feasible, acceptable and effective in ascertaining appropriate information; involving donors and the blood services in the development stages through a focus group and pilots was important to achieve this.Keywords
Funding Information
- UK Blood Services
This publication has 18 references indexed in Scilit:
- The risk of transfusion‐transmitted HIV from blood donations of men who have sex with men, 12 months after last sex with a man: 2005–2007 estimates from England and WalesVox Sanguinis, 2013
- How should we assess risk behaviour when determining donor deferral? Reflections on the MSM deferralBiologicals, 2012
- Views and experiences of men who have sex with men on the ban on blood donation: a cross sectional survey with qualitative interviewsBMJ, 2011
- A re‐evaluation of the risk of transfusion‐transmitted HIV prevented by the exclusion of men who have sex with men from blood donation in England and Wales, 2005–2007Vox Sanguinis, 2011
- Donor understanding and attitudes about current and potential deferral criteria for high‐risk sexual behaviorTransfusion, 2011
- The attitude of Canadian university students toward a behavior‐based blood donor health assessment questionnaireTransfusion, 2010
- The donor health assessment questionnaire: potential for format change and computer-assisted self-interviews to improve donor attentionTransfusion, 2007
- Audiovisual touch‐screen computer‐assisted self‐interviewing for donor health histories: results from two years experience with the systemTransfusion, 2005
- Deferred blood donors and their careTransfusion Medicine Reviews, 1999
- How understanding donor behavior should shape donor selectionTransfusion Medicine Reviews, 1999