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Analysis of blood donor deferral in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia: Characteristics and causes
Mohamed Abdelaal1, Farzal Anwar1
1Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, King Abdulaziz Medical City, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
Insights
Donor deferral rates in Saudi Arabia show that 8.7% of donors were deferred. High pulse rate, poor veins, and low blood pressure were the primary reasons for deferral in blood donation.
Area of Science:
- Medical Science
- Public Health
- Hematology
Background:
- Blood donation is crucial for healthcare. Donor deferral impacts blood supply. Understanding deferral reasons is vital for blood bank management.
Purpose of the Study:
- To analyze the rates and reasons for donor deferral.
- To identify key factors contributing to blood donor rejections in Saudi Arabia.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective study design.
- Data collected from King Abdulaziz Medical City blood bank records (January 2011 - December 2014).
- Analysis of 46,370 blood donor records.
Main Results:
- 8.7% (4,035) of donors were deferred.
- Top deferral reasons: persistent high pulse rate (19%), poor veins (17%), low blood pressure (12%), and low hemoglobin (1.8%).
Conclusions:
- Deferral rates and reasons can be influenced by socio-economic, cultural, and environmental factors.
- Targeted interventions may help mitigate common deferral causes and improve donor retention.
Objective:
To analyse the rates and reasons for donor deferral at a blood bank in Saudi Arabia.
Methods:
This retrospective study was conducted at King Abdulaziz Medical City, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, and comprised data of all blood donors reporting for donation from January 2011 to December 2014 in the hospital's blood bank, accredited by the American Association of Blood Banks. Data was collected from the records maintained by the blood bank.
Results:
Out of the 46,370 blood donors, 4,035(8.7%) were deferred. Of them, 764(19%) were deferred because of persistent high pulse rate, 689(17%) poor veins, 488(12%) low blood pressure and 74(1.8%) because of low haemoglobin.
Conclusions:
Reasons for deferral may vary due to difference in socio-economic status, and cultural and environmental factors.