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First-time blood donors: demographic trends
Y Wu1, S A Glynn, G B Schreiber
1Westat, Rockville, Maryland, USA. wuyl@yahoo.com
Transfusion
|March 29, 2001
Summary
The demographic profile of first-time blood donors is shifting, with an increase in minority donors and a decrease in white donors. Blood centers must monitor these changes to improve donor recruitment strategies.
Area of Science:
- Public Health
- Epidemiology
- Donation Science
Background:
- Changing US demographics necessitate monitoring first-time blood donor profiles.
- Understanding donor pool shifts is crucial for effective recruitment targeting.
Purpose of the Study:
- To analyze demographic trends among first-time whole blood donors.
- To evaluate changes in the donor pool over a six-year period.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of 901,862 first-time whole blood donors.
- Data collected from five US blood centers between 1991 and 1996.
Main Results:
- A decrease in the total number of first-time donors observed.
- An increase in Hispanic and other minority first-time donors.
- A decrease in the proportion of white first-time donors.
Conclusions:
- The demographic composition of first-time blood donors is evolving.
- Continuous monitoring of donor populations is essential for blood centers.
- Adjusting recruitment and retention programs is vital, with minority groups showing receptiveness to donation.