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

Abstract

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.

WITHDRAWN: Knowledge and Attitudes of Young Adults Towards Donation of COVID-19 Convalescent Plasma and Its Therapeutic Properties

“…In the future, efforts to nd donors should be based both on providing them with appropriate knowledge and on shaping favorable attitudes. Other factors should also be taken into account because, as is known, blood donation rates are lower for some minority groups due to factors such as fear, cultural, ethnic and religious beliefs and distrust of medical institutions 22,23 . It may be suspected that similar factors may affect also potential CP donors.…”

Reconciling estimates of global spread and infection fatality rates of COVID‐19: An overview of systematic evaluations

“…Other designs/populations may be biased in either direction, more frequently towards underestimating seroprevalence. [19][20][21][22][23][24][25][26] One study (LA County) 12 with very low IFR was excluded with the justification that it 'explicitly warned against using its data to obtain an IFR'; as a co-investigator of the study, both myself and my colleagues are intrigued at the rationale for exclusion; in the publication of the study in JAMA, 12 we did list limitations and caveats, as it is appropriate for any seroprevalence study to do; excluding studies that are honest to discuss limitations would keep only the worst studies that discuss no limitations. Two other studies with low IFR were excluded as well.…”

“…In countries with large shares of minorities (eg USA and UK), minorities are markedly under-represented among blood donors. 23,24 For example, in the USA, donation rates are 37%-40% lower in blacks and Hispanics versus whites 23 and in the UK, donation rates range from 1.59 per 1000 among Asian Bangladeshi origin, compared to 22.1 per 1000 among white British origin. 24 These minorities were hit the most by COVID-19.…”

Global seroprevalence of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies: a systematic review and meta-analysis

“…It has previously been shown that these groups contain disproportionate numbers of people that are young, White, college graduates, employed, physically active, and never-smokers. 38,39 Investigators using these proxy sampling frames should ensure robust correction for demographic differences or consider incorporating a correction factor (1.67x) to yield more representative estimates. Our systematic review is the largest synthesis of SARS-CoV-2 serosurveillance data to date.…”