The optimum number of units of blood and the associated number of blood donors required to meet a given population\'s needs remain undetermined globally. Typically, a whole blood donation rate of ten donations per 1000 population, at a minimum, is necessary to meet a country\'s blood needs. This rate is attributed to a WHO recommendation that 1% of a given country\'s population should donate blood to ensure a blood supply that is sufficient to meet clinical needs. This often cited metric was first referenced in a 1971 WHO report, yet neither supporting data or references were provided, suggesting that it was flawed at its founding. Regardless, this metric does not provide an accurate or contemporary determination of blood needs, which has ramifications for health service provision and planning, particularly in low-income and lower-middle-income countries. Modelling studies that account for geographical variability in disease burden, health-care infrastructure, and transfusion practices are needed to accurately estimate blood needs. A paucity of data to inform modelling remains a major obstacle in this regard. We discuss the history of the global blood donation index and highlight some factors that should be considered to better understand contemporary blood needs.

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In healthy adults, parvovirus B19 (PVB19) typically causes mild symptoms but can lead to severe complications in immunosuppressed individuals or those with high red blood cell turnover. Infection can occur through respiratory transmission or via transfusion, necessitating the testing of blood donations in Germany. Between 2015 and April 2024, we screened 2 105 755 blood donations for PVB19 using polymerase chain reaction. Incidence rates were calculated for three periods: pre-COVID-19 (2015-2020), during the pandemic (2020-2023), and post-COVID-19 (2023-2024). A total of 242 PVB19-positive donations were identified. In the first period, there were 101 positives out of 1 228 361 donations (incidence: 0.83/10 000). In the second period, four positives were found out of 621 222 donations (incidence: 0.06/10 000). In the third period, 137 positives were detected out of 235 088 donations (incidence: 5.35/10 000) with a striking increase of incidence between December 2023 and March 2024 (4.3-21.1/10 000 donations). Most people develop lifelong immunity after infection in childhood but the COVID-19 pandemic interventions, like masks and distancing, correlate with a decline in PVB19 infections in donors indicating an impact of hygiene measures on PVB19 infection rates.

Human blood is one of the most valuable and irreplaceable goods in modern medicine. Although its necessity increases daily, one of the most significant challenges we have to overcome is a scarcity of willing blood donors. Volunteer motives and attitudes have been studied for decades, but it is now considered vital to grasp the many aspects that will increase the effectiveness of attracting new blood donors. This study focuses on the impact of emotional arousal produced by advertising messages, as well as the determining role of altruistic and egoistic incentives in deciding behavior. We also incorporated the element of personality to investigate how personality traits influence behavioral intention to donate blood. To this end, a quantitative non-experimental correlational 2 × 2 experimental design (positive vs. negative emotional appeal; altruistic vs. egoistic message) was implemented with the participation of 462 respondents who were shown a total of 12 advertisements (ads) promoting blood donation. The data were analyzed using structural equation modeling, with a focus on the direct impacts on donation intentions, the role of emotional arousals and attitude towards the ads as mediators and the moderating effect of the message. The empirical results of our hypotheses revealed that only Honesty-Humility had a strong direct impact on behavioral intention to donate, while Emotionality and Agreeableness did not have any direct effect. On the other hand, attitudes towards advertisements significantly and directly influenced positive and negative emotional arousals, respectively. Furthermore, if we consider these two variables alone, they can be found to exert a direct impact on BI. Mediation analysis showed that attitudes towards the advertisements and emotional arousals partially mediated the relation between Honesty-Humility and Behavioral Intention, thus confirming partial mediation. With respect to Emotionality and Agreeableness, mediation was found to be full since these factors only affected BI through a mediated path, which confirmed full mediation. Furthermore, the moderation analysis highlighted that the type of message (altruistic vs. egoistic) significantly moderated the relationship between both emotional arousals and BI. In particular, positive emotional arousal\'s influence is strengthened when it is aligned with altruistic messages, while negative emotional arousal\'s influence is weakened if it follows an altruistic message. These findings illustrate that using positive emotions will be more beneficial for increasing people\'s donation intentions than bringing negative ones, which implies that message framing has a hidden impact on donation decisions.

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BACKGROUND: Currently in Australia, men are deferred from donating blood if they have had sex with another man within the past 3  months. However, a proposed gender-neutral assessment (GNA) process will ask all donors questions about sex with new or multiple recent partners, with deferral based on responses to a question about anal sex. Understanding the acceptability of such questions among existing and potential blood donors is paramount for successful implementation of GNA.
METHODS: We used data from a nationally representative survey to estimate the levels of comfort with the proposed GNA questions among the Australian population and subgroups, defined by self-reported ethnicity and religion. Respondents were aged over 18 and living in Australia. Results were weighted to represent the population.
RESULTS: Most of the 5178 respondents described themselves as comfortable with answering questions about new partners (73.1%) or anal sex (64.0%) to donate blood. However, 2.2% and 4.5% indicated that questions about new sex partners and anal sex, respectively, would stop them from donating, and 4.4% and 7.7% respectively, said they were \"completely uncomfortable.\" By religion, the least comfortable were Muslim or Eastern Orthodox respondents, and by country of birth, the least comfortable were those born in the Middle East, followed by those born in Southern Europe and Asia.
CONCLUSIONS: GNA appears to be broadly acceptable in the Australian context, but our findings suggest that key GNA questions are less acceptable in some population subgroups, indicating a need for targeted campaigns that consider cultural sensitivities.

The World Health Organization recommends that all blood donations be screened for transfusion transmissible infections; these data are currently not incorporated into national disease surveillance efforts. We set out to use routinely collected data from blood donors in Blantyre district, Malawi to explore HIV and syphilis prevalence and identify sero-conversions among repeat donors. We conducted a retrospective cohort analysis of blood donation data collected by the Malawi Blood Transfusion Service from 2015 to 2021. All blood donations were routinely screened for HIV and syphilis. We characterized donor demographics as well as screening outcomes, including identifying sero-conversions among repeat donors who previously tested negative on their last donation. A total of 23,280 donations from 5,051 donors were recorded, with a median frequency of donations of 3 (IQR:2-6). Most donors were male (4,294; 85%) and students (3,262; 64.6%). Prevalence of HIV at first donation was 1.0% (52/5,051) and prevalence of syphilis was 1.6% (80/5,051); 52 HIV sero-conversions and 126 syphilis sero-conversions were identified, indicating an incidence rate per 1,000 person-years of 5.9 (95% CI: 4.7, 7.4) and 13.3 (95% CI:11.4, 15.4) respectively. Students had a lower prevalence of HIV and syphilis but higher risk of syphilis seroconversion. While blood donors are generally considered a low-risk population for HIV and syphilis, we were able to identify relatively high rates of undiagnosed HIV and syphilis infections among donors. Routinely collected data from national blood donation services may be used to better understand local HIV and syphilis epidemiology, with the potential to enhance disease surveillance systems. These findings may be used to identify priority prevention areas and populations in Blantyre district that can inform targeted interventions for improved disease prevention, testing and treatment.

OBJECTIVE: Facemasks represent an essential measure of prevention against the spread of infectious diseases; however, they lessen the ability to convey and understand emotions through facial expressions. In blood donation settings, facemask wearing could interfere with professionals\' tasks, reduce the satisfaction of blood donors and affect their future blood donation behaviour. This preliminary cross-sectional study explored the association of mandatory facemask wearing with the quality of the blood donation process at the end of the coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic.
METHODS: A sample of 615 voluntary unpaid Italian blood and plasma donors completed an online survey assessing their attitude towards facemask wearing, the perceived distress due to facemasks in the different steps of the donation process, self-reported vasovagal reactions after donation and the intention to donate again.
RESULTS: Nearly 24% of donors reported a worsened quality of the donation process due to facemask wearing, and 36% reported moderate to severe distress during the donation itself. Donors with a more negative attitude towards facemasks reported a worse donation experience, mainly related to the interactions and the communication with physicians and nurses, and a higher probability of experiencing vasovagal reactions at their last donation. No significant correlations were observed between negative facemask attitudes towards facemask wearing, distress or future intention to donate blood/plasma.
CONCLUSIONS: Facemasks have worsened the quality of blood and plasma donations for one fourth of donors, confirming the interference with the quality of communications and relationships with healthcare professionals.

Blood donation, a fundamental act of altruism, has undergone significant evolution over the centuries. Despite medical progress, the persistent challenge lies in securing an adequate supply of blood and its derivatives. This article critically examines the proposal to introduce monetary incentives for blood donation, delving into ethical, legal, and pragmatic dimensions. India\'s current framework staunchly upholds voluntary, unpaid donations. However, global practices diverge significantly. Notably, India previously permitted monetary compensation for blood donation but later prohibited it due to concerns about infection transmission. Monetary incentives offer a potential solution to address key deterrents faced by potential donors. Health anxieties, time constraints, and fear of infection often discourage voluntary donations. By providing financial motivation, we may enhance donor participation and bolster the reliability of the blood supply. While the benefits are evident, caution is essential. Implementing monetary incentives necessitates robust safeguards. Preventing the exploitation of vulnerable populations and ensuring the safety of blood products remain paramount. Striking this delicate balance requires careful consideration. By analyzing ethical, legal, and practical facets, we navigate the intricate landscape of blood supply management.

This commentary addresses the article \"Toward a Sociology of Plasma Products\" by Holloway and Grundy in this issue of the International Journal of Social Determinants of Health and Health Services. The program of research proposed by the authors positioning the medico-industrial field of plasma products within a sociological context is supported, this being an endeavor which has not been attempted previously. I seek to augment Holloway and Grundy\'s proposed approach through some additional insights which are the result of over forty years of personal commitment in the field. Holloway and Grundy\'s proposed areas of engagement involving the products, the recipients, the donors and the governance of the systems binding these together is widened through an examination of additional technological factors that have shaped the field. These factors include the influence of the medical industry, the role of patient groups, the continuing controversy on the sourcing of plasma raw material, and the roles of different governance models. Converging these factors with Holloway and Grundy\'s proposed program should enhance its capacity to develop a framework for understanding the dynamics within this complex and unique sector. The concepts developed in both articles will assist stakeholders to develop a societal framework for the provision of these essential medicines.