Exploring Adverse Blood Donation Reactions Among Whole Blood Donors at a Tertiary Hospital Setting: A One-Center...

Area of Science:

• Transfusion Medicine
• Public Health
• Clinical Research

Background:

• Blood donation is vital but associated with adverse reactions, impacting donor return.
• Limited data exists on blood donation adverse reactions and risk factors in Ghana.
• Understanding these reactions is crucial for donor safety and retention.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine the prevalence of adverse blood donation reactions.
• To identify risk factors associated with these reactions among successful donors.
• To provide context-specific data for Ghanaian tertiary hospital settings.

Main Methods:

• Mixed-methods approach combining observational techniques and semistructured questionnaires.
• 279 participants (mobile and in-house donors) recruited in a tertiary setting.
• Bivariate logistic regression analysis used to assess demographic influences on adverse reactions.

Main Results:

• Immediate adverse reaction prevalence was 44.4%, with local, vasovagal, and allergic reactions at 51.4%, 36.5%, and 12.1% respectively.
• Donors experiencing adverse events had significantly lower median age, systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, and weight.
• 22.1% of reactions persisted for 24 hours post-donation; local and vasovagal reactions were most common.

Conclusions:

• High prevalence of immediate adverse reactions necessitates improved donor care.
• Urgent need to enhance staff competency and standardize protocols for managing adverse events.
• Further research is required to understand contributing factors and inform interventions for better blood donor safety.