Difficulties and strategies related to blood donation in a hemotherapy service

Objective: to analyze the aspects that hinder blood donation and strategies to attract donors. Methods: qualitative study conducted with 12 donors. The data was collected through semi-structured interviews and analyzed using Content Analysis. Results: regarding the complicating aspects, the lack of time and little flexibility in service hours, the displacement in accessing the service and the fear of the donation process were scored. As strategies for attraction, the interviewees talked about the dissemination and internal campaigns in companies, education in schools and universities, loyalty of donors, flexibility in the hours of the blood center and mobile units for blood donation at strategic points in the city. Conclusion: donors pointed out difficulties and suggestions for strategies, constituting relevant information for innovative proposals that help in the process of attracting new blood donors.

Assessment of seroprevalence of Toxoplasma gondii in blood donors applied to the blood center of Gazi University Hospital

Background and Objectives: Toxoplasmosis is a life-threatening zoonotic infection in immunosuppressive individuals. Determining the prevalence and seropositivity rates of toxoplasmosis in asymptomatic blood donors is crucial in terms of the risk status of the transmission of this infection to the blood recipients. Materials and Methods: In this study, the presence and level of the specific Toxoplasma IgG and IgM antibodies in blood donors was investigated by electrochemiluminescence immunoassay (ECLIA). The statistical significance levels between Toxoplasma seropositivity and demographic characteristics of the donors such as age, educational status, raw meat consumption, drinking water supply were examined. Results: Toxoplasma IgG seropositivity was found among the 225 (25.6%) of the donors present in the study group, while IgM seropositivity was detected in 20 donors (2.3%). The number of donors with only IgM (+) was 8 (0.9%). Both IgG and IgM seropositivities were found in 12 donors (1.4%). Conclusion: Our study provides information about Toxoplasma seropositivity based on the samples collected from the donors who were admitted to the blood center of a university hospital in Ankara, Turkey. This study demonstrates that Toxoplasma seropositivity is high in the rural areas and the regions where the education level is low.

Reduction in blood donations: the importance of campaing donation in Goiânia, Goiás, Brazil

To analyze the trends of blood donations in a public blood center of Goias, Brazil (HEMOGO – Hemocentro do Estado de Goiás), considering incentive campaigns and transfusion transmissible infection. Retrospective study of the blood donations between 2010-2016. Donors were grouped into autologous, voluntary, replacement and campaign categories. There were 149,983 donations with a reduction of 29% (p