Effects of oral donor questioning about high-risk behaviors for human immunodeficiency virus infection

The purposes of this study were 1) to compare blood donor deferrals resulting from additional, oral questions about human immunodeficiency virus risk behaviors with deferrals resulting from currently used, written screening questions; 2) to examine differences in donor deferral resulting from use of an indirect (IQ) versus direct (DQ) additional oral question format; and 3) to evaluate written survey responses of donors and staff members to the additional questions. The IQ group (n = 3050) were asked if they understood the seven ineligible-donor risk behaviors, and the DQ group (n = 4753) were asked if they had engaged in any of these behaviors. Owing to positive answers or refusal to answer the additional questions, there was an increase in donor deferrals, over the level seen with customary screening. Only 1 percent of donors indicated they would not return if the questions were asked in the future. Embarrassment was indicated by 3 percent of the IQ group and 7 percent of the DQ group; 14 to 15 percent preferred to write their answers rather than give them orally. The staff members generally felt training was adequate (IQ = 92%, DQ = 83%) and were comfortable asking the questions (IQ = 82%, DQ = 78%). Mean screening times were 5.7 minutes before the addition of the oral questions, 7.5 minutes with IQ, and 7.6 minutes with DQ. This study confirms the value of IQ and DQ formats in identifying potentially infectious donors and suggests that the DQ format may be slightly more effective.