Temporal distribution of blood donations in three Brazilian blood centers and its repercussion on the blood supply

Abstract

BackgroundSeasonal distribution of blood donation hinders efforts to provide a safe and adequate blood supply leading to chronic and persistent shortages. This study examined whether holidays, geographical area and donation type (community versus replacement) has any impact on the fluctuation of donations. MethodsThe numbers of blood donations from 2007 through 2010 in three Brazilian Retrovirus Epidemiological Donor Study II (REDS-II) participating centers were analyzed according to the week of donation. The weeks were classified as holiday or non-holiday. To compare donations performed during holiday versus non-holiday weeks, tabulations and descriptive statistics for weekly donations by blood center were examined and time series analysis was conducted. ResultsThe average weekly number of donations varied according to the blood center and type of week. The average number of donations decreased significantly during Carnival and Christmas and increased during the Brazilian National Donor Week. The fluctuation was more pronounced in Recife and Belo Horizonte when compared to São Paulo and higher among community donors. ConclusionNational bank holidays affect the blood supply by reducing available blood donations. Blood banks should take into account these oscillations in order to plan local campaigns, aiming at maintaining the blood supply at acceptable levels.

Blood donation in a large urban centre of southeast Brazil: a population‐based study

“…Comparisons of donors and non‐donors were performed for approximately 230 categorical or continuous variables, including demographic characteristics, those related with type of work and income, household aspects, access of information, social capital (Oliveira et al , 2013a,b) and self‐perception of health.…”

“…Population‐based studies are essential for this purpose, but they are scarce and of high cost. In Brazil, blood donors have been characterised by information derived from blood centres, including evaluations of serological markers, risk factors to transfusion‐transmitted infections (TTI), temporal analysis of blood donation and studies with prospective donors aimed at the understanding of motivation for donation (Carneiro‐Proietti et al , ; Sabino et al , ; Goncalez et al , 2013a,b; Oliveira et al , 2013a,b).…”

Use of blood in mid-sized hospital in Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais

“…Em estudo realizado no ano de 2013 que analisou a distribuição temporal das doações de sangue durante quatro anos em três hemocentros brasileiros observou-se que o número de doações diminui durante feriados como Carnaval e Natal e aumenta durante a Semana Nacional da Doação de Sangue, que ocorre no mês de novembro em todo o país. 16 No período entre Natal e Ano Novo, o número de doações cai drasticamente; no entanto, a demanda por transfusões sanguíneas permanece a mesma ou até aumenta. 16 Devido a essa repetida redução da doação de sangue, são realizadas campanhas para doação sanguínea em todo o país, com o objetivo de manter estoque suficientemente grande e capaz de atender a tais exigências.…”

“…16 No período entre Natal e Ano Novo, o número de doações cai drasticamente; no entanto, a demanda por transfusões sanguíneas permanece a mesma ou até aumenta. 16 Devido a essa repetida redução da doação de sangue, são realizadas campanhas para doação sanguínea em todo o país, com o objetivo de manter estoque suficientemente grande e capaz de atender a tais exigências. 16 De acordo com essas normas e orientações, o PFC é contraindicado nas seguintes situações: expansor volêmico em hipovolemias agudas; sangramentos sem coagulopatias; correção de testes anormais de coagulação sem sangramento; grandes queimados; septicemias; imunodeficiências; e estados de perda proteica.…”

Difficult blood donor choices: dance, feast or donate blood?

“…An article in this issue of the Revista Brasileira de Hematologia e Hemoterapia addresses one of the most difficult management challenges in blood banking: balancing supply and demand of blood and blood products collected from volunteer, non-remunerated donors (1) . It looks specifically at the distribution of weekly blood collections at three major Brazilian blood centers participating in the Retrovirus Epidemiology Donor Study-II (REDS-II) research program supported by the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute of the U.S. National Institutes of Health from January 2007 to December 2010 (2) .…”