The characteristics of blood donors in England and Wales

Author(s):  
Richard M. Titmuss

This chapter explores the characteristics of blood donors in England and Wales, considering a study made in the summer and autumn of 1967 with the assistance of the Ministry of Health and the National Blood Transfusion Service. The study examines regional trends and statistics relating to donor populations and donor reporting rates for the general public, institutions — comprising factories, offices, and universities — and the Defence Services. The general conclusion which emerges is that the donor sample broadly resembles the population in respect of age, sex, and marital status when account is taken of the possible effects of the age-incapacity and reproductive factors. Moreover, for most age groups, the general public donor is more representative of the national population than the institutional donor or the total of all donors. The institutional and Defence Services donor tends on the whole to be younger.

Britannia ◽  
2021 ◽  
pp. 1-29
Author(s):  
John Pearce ◽  
Sally Worrell

The Portable Antiquities Scheme (PAS) was established in 1997 as an initiative to record archaeological objects found by members of the general public. Initially set up in pilot form, in 2003 it was extended to the whole of England and Wales. Surveys of Roman period finds recorded by the PAS have been published in Britannia from 2004 onwards. This 18th annual report first briefly summarises the general character of Roman finds reported in 2020. As last year, we no longer present artefact and PAS record numbers in detail by county, since consistent regional differences in artefact frequencies recorded by the PAS are well documented in the first 16 reports. The majority of the report comprises the publication of significant individual and groups of artefacts recorded by Finds Liaison Officers (FLOs).


2001 ◽  
Vol 126 (3) ◽  
pp. 397-414 ◽  
Author(s):  
T. L. LAMAGNI ◽  
B. G. EVANS ◽  
M. SHIGEMATSU ◽  
E. M. JOHNSON

Invasive fungal infections are becoming an increasing public health problem owing to the growth in numbers of susceptible individuals. Despite this, the profile of mycoses remains low and there is no surveillance system specific to fungal infections currently existing in England and Wales. We analysed laboratory reports of deep-seated mycoses made to the Communicable Disease Surveillance Centre between 1990 and 1999 from England and Wales. A substantial rise in candidosis was seen during this period (6·76–13·70 reports per million population/year), particularly in the older age groups. Rates of cryptococcosis in males fluctuated over the decade but fell overall (1·05–0·66 per million population/year), whereas rates of female cases gradually rose up until 1998 (0·04–0·41 per million population/year). Reports of Pneumocystis carinii in men reduced substantially between 1990 and 1999 (2·77–0·42 per million population/year) but showed little change in women. Reports of aspergillosis fluctuated up until 1996, after which reports of male and female cases rose substantially (from 0·08 for both in 1996 to 1·92 and 1·69 per million population/year in 1999 for males and females respectively), largely accounted for by changes in reporting practice from one laboratory. Rates of invasive mycoses were generally higher in males than females, with overall male-to-female rate ratios of 1·32 (95% CI 1·25–1·40) for candidosis, 1·30 (95% CI 1·05–1·60) for aspergillosis, 3·99 (95% CI 2·93–5·53) for cryptococcosis and 4·36 (95% CI 3·47–5·53) for Pneumocystis carinii. The higher male than female rates of reports is likely to be a partial reflection of HIV epidemiology in England and Wales, although this does not fully explain the ratio in infants and older age groups. Lack of information on underlying predisposition prevents further identification of risk groups affected. Whilst substantial under-reporting of Pneumocystis carinii and Cryptococcus species was apparent, considerable numbers of superficial mycoses were mis-reported indicating a need for clarification of reporting guidelines. Efforts to enhance comprehensive laboratory reporting should be undertaken to maximize the utility of this approach for surveillance of deep-seated fungal infections.


1969 ◽  
Vol 1 (S1) ◽  
pp. 119-127 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jean Thompson

SummaryThe age structure of the immigrant female population as shown by the 1961 Census was heavily biased towards the young adult age groups, where fertility rates are highest. The birth rate for such a population could be expected considerably to exceed the average for this country as a whole, due to differences in age structure alone. The Census also showed marked differences betwen the fertility rates of different groups of immigrants but suggested that for the most important groups —from the Irish Republic, the Indian sub-continent and the Caribbean—they then amounted to a completed family size of roughly ½ child above the England and Wales average. There were also marked differences in 1961 between the socio-economic structure of immigrant groups; such evidence as there is points to socio-economic factors as playing an important part in explaining the fertility of immigrants, and its possible change over time.


2019 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
pp. 19-24
Author(s):  
O D Damulak ◽  
E D Jatau ◽  
E Ekam ◽  
E Rumji ◽  
R Yakubu ◽  
...  

Blood donation is not readily an altruistic sacrifice in sub-Saharan Africa where microbial infections, maternal haemorrhages, malaria and other tropical diseases that frequently require blood transfusion are daily diagnoses. Blood transfusion safety is hindered by the combined prevailing high rate of Transfusion-Transmissible Infections (TTIs) and poor screening techniques. This study determined the rate of Enzyme-Linked Immuno-Sorbent Assay (ELISA) positive reactions to transfusion-transmissible infections in rapid diagnostic test negative family replacement blood units, compared to the first time voluntarily donated blood. We studied records of blood units collected in a tertiary hospital from donors who scaled pre-donation Rapid diagnostic test (RDT) screening for the human immunodeficiency virus, hepatitis B and hepatitis C viruses and syphilis and rescreened by ELISA techniques at the National Blood Transfusion Service Centre in Jos, along with units from first-time voluntary blood donors. A total of 19562 blood units; 5945 (30.39%) rapid diagnostic tests negative from a linkage hospital and 13617 (69.61%) from first time voluntary donors were screened by ELISA methods for HIV, HBV, HCV, and syphilis. The overall TTIs detected by ELISA was 16.08%, significantly lower among pre-donation rapid screened family replacement blood donors [495(8.32%)] compared to 2651 (19.47%) among first-time voluntary donors; P=0.0001. Fifty-seven (0.96%) HIV, 166 (2.79%) HBV, 137 (2.31%) HCV and 137 (2.31%) syphilis were still detected respectively by ELISA in the pre-screened negative family replacement blood units. The outcome of ELISA screenings of blood collected from first-time volunteer donors were; 143 (1.05%) HIV, 1,486 (10.91%) HBV, 683 (5.02%) HCV, and 339 (2.49%) syphilis. Blood for transfusion should be screened negative at least with ELISA.


2019 ◽  
Vol 2019 ◽  
pp. 1-6
Author(s):  
Shinpei Matsuda ◽  
Takehisa Saito ◽  
Hisato Yoshida ◽  
Hitoshi Yoshimura ◽  
Kazuo Sano

Objective. The aim of this study was to investigate the tongue cleaning habits using toothbrushes among outpatients of the University of Fukui Hospital and a private hospital in Fukui Prefecture. Methods. We administered a questionnaire survey to volunteers detailing tongue cleaning habits using toothbrushes. The content of the questions in this survey were as follows: gender, age, frequency of tongue cleaning, portion of tongue cleaning, and purposes of tongue cleaning. Results. We had 1,014 volunteers of various ages participating in this study. Regarding the frequency of tongue cleaning, 187 (18.4%) of all participants replied, “Every day”, and 346 (34.1%) replied, “Sometimes”. Regarding tongue cleaning of the 533 participants with active tongue cleaning habits, 242 (45.4%) participants replied, “The center of the dorsum of the tongue”, and 274 (51.4%) replied, “The entire tongue”. When analyzing the purpose of tongue cleaning, 346 (64.9%) participants replied, “To remove the tongue stain”, 192 (36.0%) participants replied, “To remove the tongue coating”, and 240 (45.0%) participants replied, “To manage halitosis”. Conclusions. This study clarified that a wide range of age groups in the nonhospitalized general public practiced tongue cleaning habits using a toothbrush for various purposes.


2020 ◽  
Vol 105 (9) ◽  
pp. 857-863 ◽  
Author(s):  
Laura Ferreras-Antolín ◽  
Godwin Oligbu ◽  
Ifeanyichukwu O Okike ◽  
Shamez Ladhani

ObjectiveTo estimate the contribution of infections to childhood deaths in England and Wales over a 3-year period.DesignRetrospective analysis of national electronic death registration data.SettingEngland and Wales.PatientsChildren aged 28 days to 15 years who died during 2013–15.Main outcome measuresThe proportion of children who died of infection compared with total deaths over 3 years; the main pathogens responsible for infection-related deaths in different age groups; comparison with similar data from 2003 to 2005.ResultsThere were 5088 death registrations recorded in children aged 28 days to <15 years in England and Wales during the three calendar years, 2013–2015 (17.6 deaths/100 000 children annually) compared with 6897 (23.9/100 000) during 2003–05 (incidence rate ratios (IRR) 0.74, 95% CI 0.71 to 0.77). During 2013–15, there were 951 (18.7%, 951/5088) infection-related deaths compared with 1368 (19.8%, 1368/6897) during 2003–05, equivalent to an infection-related mortality rate of 3.3/100 000 compared with 4.8/100 000 during the two periods (IRR 0.69, 95% CI 0.64 to 0.75), respectively. An underlying comorbidity was recorded in 55.0% (523/951) of death registrations during 2013–15 and increased with age. Where recorded, respiratory tract infection was the most commonly reported presentation (374/876, 42.7%) during 2013–15. Central nervous system infections accounted for only 4.8% (42/876). Overall, 63.1% (378/599) of infection-related deaths were associated with a bacterial, 34.2% (205/599) with a viral and 2.5% (15/599) with a fungal infection.ConclusionsBeyond the neonatal period, all-cause and infection-related childhood mortality rates have declined by 26% and 31%, respectively, over the past decade. However, infection continues to contribute to one in five childhood deaths.


1978 ◽  
Vol 132 (2) ◽  
pp. 155-158 ◽  
Author(s):  
E. H. Hare

SummaryThe quarterly distribution of births of patients born in England and Wales 1921–60 and first admitted in 1970–75 was examined by decade of birth and by age at year of admission. For patients with schizophrenia and affective psychosis, the distribution varied: in the early decade (1921–30), and for older patients (45–54 years) the proportion of births in the fourth quarter of the year was high, compared with expectation from live births in the general population; but it became lower in succeeding decades and for younger age groups. No comparable change occurred for births of patients with neurosis or personality disorder.


1973 ◽  
Vol 71 (2) ◽  
pp. 253-259 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. C. Barrett

SUMMARYData for mortality from cancer of the cervix in England and Wales by 5-year age groups and four quinquennia (1951–70) are analysed. The logarithms of the mortality rates are regressed on age group, epoch of death and epoch of birth. The factors obtained are considered in relation to particular features of the mortality pattern, such as the reversal of trend in certain age groups.


1979 ◽  
Vol 13 (4) ◽  
pp. 301-307 ◽  
Author(s):  
John Snowdon

This study reports changes of suicide rate in Australia and in England and Wales in the twenty years up to 1976. Rates in both places reached a peak in 1963, related to increases in poisoning as a means of suicide. Decreases since then can be attributed partly to reduced likelihood of death after inhalation of domestic gas or after ingestion of poisons. There has been an increase in suicide deaths among younger people, but a decrease among older age groups. The two countries have patterns of suicide which are similar in many respects, the most striking difference being the frequency with which firearms are used by male suicides in Australia. There is good reason to believe that variation in availability of a means of suicide is the factor which has most effect on rates of suicide, though cultural attitude towards each method also is an important determinant of how much it will be used for suicide.


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