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Trends in age and red blood cell donation habits among several racial/ethnic minority groups in the United States
Author(s) -
Yazer Mark H.,
Vassallo Ralph,
Delaney Meghan,
Germain Marc,
Karafin Matthew S.,
Sayers Merlyn,
Watering Leo,
Shaz Beth H.
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
transfusion
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.045
H-Index - 132
eISSN - 1537-2995
pISSN - 0041-1132
DOI - 10.1111/trf.14108
Subject(s) - ethnic group , demography , medicine , blood donor , donation , race (biology) , population , african american , gerontology , blood donations , immunology , environmental health , biology , history , ethnology , botany , sociology , anthropology , economics , economic growth
BACKGROUND To meet the needs of a diverse patient population, an adequate supply of red blood cells (RBCs) from ethnic/racial minority donors is essential. We previously described the 10‐year changes in minority blood donation in the United States. This study describes donation patterns by donor status, age, and race/ethnicity. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS Data on the age and the number of unique black/African American, Hispanic/Latino, Asian, and white RBC donors were obtained from eight US blood collectors for 2006, 2009, 2012, and 2015. Donors self‐identified their race/ethnicity. First‐time (FT) and repeat (R) donors were analyzed separately. RESULTS Overall, for both FT and R donor groups, whites constituted the majority of unique donors (FT 66.7% and R 82.7%) and also donated the greatest proportion of RBC units (FT 66.6% and R 83.8%). Donors less than 20 years old comprised the greatest proportion of FT donors for all racial/ethnic groups (39.2%) and had the highest mean number of RBC donations per donor (1.12) among FT donors. Conversely, R donors less than 20 years old had some of the lowest mean number of RBC donations per donor (1.55) among R donors, whereas R donors at least 60 years old had the highest mean (1.88). Year by year, the percentage of FT donors who were less than 20 years old increased for all race/ethnicities. For R donors, whites were more frequently older, while Hispanics/Latinos and Asians were younger. CONCLUSIONS Greater efforts to convert FT donors less than 20 years into R donors should be undertaken to ensure the continued diversity of the blood supply.