Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 9, 2026

Comprehensive & Cost Effective Laboratory Monitoring of HIV/AIDS: an African Role Model
Published on: October 31, 2010
Cost-effectiveness of questionnaires in preventing transfusion-transmitted infections
Wim de Kort1, Peter van den Burg, Herman Geerligs
1Sanquin Blood Supply Foundation, Nijmegen, the Netherlands.
Background:
The cost-effectiveness of the donor health questionnaire (DHQ) as a tool to assess donor eligibility has not been quantified. This study focused on cost-effectiveness of the DHQ in preventing transfusion-transmitted infections (TTIs).
Study Design And Methods:
Data on whole blood donor eligibility assessments in the Netherlands in 2008 to 2010 were analyzed. Based on test results and epidemiologic data on TTIs, the number of donor visits in their window phase was calculated. Subsequently, the incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER) of the DHQ was calculated.
Results:
The overall annual deferral rate in the study period was 9.6% (9.3%-10.0%). The annual deferral rate for TTI risk was 0.86% (0.82%-0.89%). Taking into account the number of self-deferrals, deferral rate for TTI risk in all donors was 1.90% (1.81%-2.02%). The calculated annual numbers of prevented cases of TTI were hepatitis B, 0.142; hepatitis C, 0.010; human immunodeficiency virus, 0.016; and syphilis, 0.135. The annual costs for TTI risk-related eligibility assessments, deferrals, and substitutions were €84,807 (€55,193-€123,811) for the blood establishment (BE) and €90,501 (€46,965-€159,571) for deferred donors. Annual savings were €991 (€276-€2325), while annual quality-adjusted life-years (QALYs) gained were 0.120 (0.059-0.226). Hence, the ICER for the DHQ on preventing TTIs was €696,744 (€315,422-€1,611,681) for BE costs only and €1,449,055 (€669,439-€3,145,961) including costs for deferred donors.
Conclusion:
The DHQ enhances self-selection and should not be abandoned. However, the DHQ is not a cost-effective tool for further reducing TTIs. The high costs per case prevented and the small number of QALYs gained argue against maintaining deferral policy through the DHQ at the current level.
Related Concept Videos
Healthcare Associated Infections II: Preventive Measures
The best practices for preventing healthcare-associated infections include hand hygiene, patient risk...
Blood Transfusion
Blood Transfusion Overview
A blood transfusion is a medical procedure used to replace blood lost due to injury, surgery, or to treat conditions such as anemia or cancer. During a transfusion, donor blood is...
Factors Affecting the Risk of Infection
The integrity and count of the white blood cells help the body resist pathogens and fight infection. When impaired, it reduces the body's resistance to pathogens. The acidic pH levels of the gastrointestinal, genitourinary tracts, and skin create...
Types of Biopharmaceutical Studies: Controlled and Non-Controlled Approaches
Non-controlled studies, commonly employed for initial exploration, lack a control group, rendering them susceptible to biases and external influences. In contrast, controlled...
Transmission-based Precautions I: Contact, Enteric, and Droplets
Contact Precautions:
Contact precautions are the measures taken to prevent the transmission of infectious agents, especially epidemiologically important microorganisms such as MRSA or influenza, primarily transmitted through direct or indirect contact with an...