The donors perceived positive and negative effects of blood donation

Abstract

BACKGROUND Occasionally blood donation has a negative influence on some donors, while others express feelings of increased energy or wellbeing after donation. Some donors even report symptoms such as headache or feelings of unease indicating “it is time to donate blood again.” This study aims to determine symptoms and frequencies of blood donors experiencing positive and negative effects of blood donation, and study possible associations with sex, age, body mass index, smoking status, and hemoglobin level. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS We developed and validated a questionnaire with eight predefined physical and psychological symptoms related to blood donation using a 5‐point Likert Scale. Participants in The Danish Blood Donor Study were asked to indicate if they experienced the present symptom prior to and/or after the donation. RESULTS A total of 6,073 donors were included. Of the donors, 61% experienced one or more effects of blood donation. Positive effects were experienced by 18% of the donors, 29% experienced negative effects, and 14% experienced both. Most notable positive effects were alleviated headache (14%), feeling lighter (14%), and less tiredness (7%). Most notable negative effects were less energy (25%), more dizziness (22%), and more tiredness (21%). Logistic regression analysis revealed that positive effects were more likely among donors with higher BMI, older donors, and smokers. Negative effects were more likely among younger donors, donors with lower BMI, and among female donors. CONCLUSION Analyses indicate that susceptibility to blood donation effects varies by BMI, sex, smoking status, and age, and therefore should be taken into consideration when informing donors about potential effects of blood donation.

Whole blood donors' post‐donation symptoms diminish quickly but are discouraging: Results from 6‐day symptom diaries

“…Other characteristics, such as smoking status or ethnicity may also affect symptoms after whole blood donation. 6,12 Fatigue was the most commonly reported postdonation symptom in both male and female donors, which generally is in line with previous studies. We found a low percentage of donors reporting severe problems for one or more post-donation symptoms compared to previous studies.…”

“…7,26 This finding may be explained by a selection process of donors experiencing post-donation symptoms to stop donating. 6 Male donors with higher blood pressure reported higher energy levels and better quality of sleep after donating whole blood compared to male donors with low blood pressure. Previous research has reported that blood donation may temporarily decrease blood pressure, resulting in a decrease in complaints such as headache.…”

“…We found a low percentage of donors reporting severe problems for one or more post-donation symptoms compared to previous studies. 6,11 However, differences in phrasing of the questions likely explains differences in the prevalence of post-donation symptoms across studies.…”

“…Our finding that both male and female donors with higher BMI reported worse general health, contradicts findings reported by Van den Hurk et al and Teglkamp et al who found more negative symptoms in donors with low BMI. 6,11 However, literature investigating the association between weight and health status report inconsistent findings. [28][29][30] Furthermore, the association between BMI and general health may not be linear, with underweight and obese donors experiencing more problems compared to donors with normal weight.…”

“…A 500 mL whole blood donation might be beneficial for some donors while harming others. 6,7 Donating whole blood is known to induce iron loss, possibly leading to iron deficiency-related symptoms such as fatigue. 8 Furthermore, a loss of blood volume may temporarily reduce blood pressure but increases the risk of a vasovagal reaction.…”