A Survey of Blood Donors in Delaware County
An Honors Thesis (ID 499)
by
Marni J. Heimendinger
Sharon Kelly
~fwb
Ball State University
Muncie, Indiana
April 1990
May
5, 1990
Table of contents
Introduction. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . • . . . . . . . . . . .. 2
Blood Donor Qualifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
Resul ts of Survey.......................................... 4
Conclusion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
References. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 9
Appendix. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . • . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 10
Survey. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. I
Figures and Tables
1.
Blood Donor Age............ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. II
2.
Blood Donor Gender . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . III
3.
Blood Donor Occupation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . IV
4.
Donation Frequency............................... V
5.
Donor Blood Type................................. VI
6.
Blood Donor Motivators ..........•.........•....•. VII
7.
Donation Location................................ VIII
Every year, 3-4 million people receive transfusions of whole
blood, platelets, and/or plasma averaging to about 3.5 units per
person
(Bennett
volunteer
Douglas M.
1).
donations
A majority
which,
Surgenor,
M. D.,
of
this
according
at the
to
a
blood
comes
recent
Center for
from
survey
by
Blood Research,
Boston, Massachusetts, have decreased in comparison to donations
of the
1970' s
survey was
(Marwick 968).
given,
in
For this reason an eight week
association with
Ball Memorial
Hospital
Blood Bank, member of the American Association of Blood Banks, to
determine a blood donor cross-section for Delaware ,County.
post-donation survey was given from January 15,
11,
1990,
and
631 people responded.
donate blood every eight weeks,
survey duplication.
determine the
age,
The
gender,
1990,
The
to March
Since a person can only
this ensured there would be no
results
of the
occupation,
survey were used to
frequency
of donation,
knowledge of blood type, and what motivates a person to donate.
Blood Donor Qualifications
To ensure relative standardization of the blood supply,
potential
donor
permitted
to
must
donate.
meet
certain
A donor
requirements
must
be
between
before
the
a
being
ages
of
seventeen and sixty-six, unless he has been a "regular donor" up
to his 66th birthday, then he may donate until reaching his 70th
birthday.
The reason for the age restriction is to keep both the
blood donor and the recipient healthy.
2
Prior to age seventeen,
the body's chemical make-up is slightly varied from those who
have completed puberty;
therefore,
individuals under seventeen
are not allowed to donate.
At the upper end of the scale, the
sixty-six to seventy range,
the individual is not permitted to
donate
approval
unless
a
doctor's
has
been
given.
This
precaution is simply to maintain the health of the blood donor.
A potential
donor must weigh a minimum of 110 pounds
in
order to donate. A minimum weight requirement is used to ensure
that the health of the donor is maintained.
There is no maximum
weight for donors.
The percentage of
iron in the blood is another important
criteria used to screen blood donors.
Men and women must have a
hematocrit of at least thirty-eight to be allowed to donate.
maintaining a minimum iron level in donated blood,
By
a doctor is
able to transfuse red blood cells in cases of severe anemia and
to know approximately how much iron the recipient is receiving.
Pulse,
blood pressure,
and
temperature
are
also criteria
used in the donor screening process to ensure a healthy blood
supply.
Unless a potential donor is a regular runner he must
have a minimum pulse of 42 beats/minute, a regular runner's pulse
may be lower, and the pulse cannot exceed 100 beats/minute.
In
order to donate blood, a potential donor's blood pressure can be
no higher than 180/100, and he must also have a temperature under
99.6 o F.
The potential donor is also required to fill
medical history.
out a brief
This brief history is used to defer potential
3
,
donors who may otherwise contaminate the blood supply.
One may
not donate blood
has had
internal
cancer
if he:
is a diabetic using insulin;
within
the
past
ten
years;
has
used
non-
prescribed intravenous drugs; has had Hepatitis after the age of
ten or currently has Hepatitis; is in the high risk category for
AIDS or has had sexual contact with someone who has AIDS or is in
the high risk category.
A positive response to any of the above
medical history questions results in permanent deferral, and the
individual
resul t
throat,
is not allowed to donate.
if the individual:
chest cold,
ears or a
tattoo
A temporary deferral may
suffers currently from the flu,
fever,
or cold sore;
sore
has received pierced
in the past six months;
is currently taking
prescription drugs for infection or disease; has undergone dental
surgery in the past three days; has donated plasma in the past
three
,
,
'
days;
has
donated
blood
in
the
past
eight
weeks;
is
currently pregnant or has been in the past six weeks; has visited
a malarial area in the past six months or has lived there in the
past three years;
has had close contact with hepatitis in the
last six months; has undergone major surgery or received a blood
transfusion in the past six months.
Although the individual may
not donate immediately if he has answered yes to the temporary
deferrals, he may donate as soon as the time limit has expired or
the condition has cleared (Ball Memorial Hospital Blood Bank).
If the individual meets all of the above requirements he is
now eligible to donate blood.
4
,
Results of the Data
Age
The majority of blood donors
and twenty-two years of age,
age (14.3%)
Table 1,
(51.8%)
are between seventeen
followed by people 30-39 years of
and 40-49 years of age (13.5%).
Appendix,
II)
(See Figure 1 and
The reason for the high percentage of
seventeen to twenty-two year old donors is due to mobile drives
held at area high schools and Ball State University, which have a
heavy concentration of this age group.
Gender
According to Figure 2 (Appendix,III), men donate about 60%
of the blood donated in Delaware County.
These statistics do not
necessarily mean that men give more often then women.
means
that
men may meet donor
their female counterparts.
It just
qualifications more often than
Two qualifications which may defer
women more often then men are the 110 pound weight minimum and
the hematocrit results.
Occupation
The primary occupation of blood donors in Delaware County is
that of a student.
student
donor
(See Table 3 and Figure 3, Appendix IV)
makes
up
over
half
of
the
"eight
week
The
donor
population" due to the mobile drives held at area high schools
and Ball State University,
students.
machine
where a majority of the donors are
The students are followed by tradesmen, laborers, and
operators
who
compose
slightly
over
one-tenth of the
donors and professional and technical workers who also comprise
5
one-tenth
of
the donors.
occupations.
Some
individuals have
two or more
For example, a person may be a full time college
professor but also owns his own business; therefore, the number
of responses to this question are greater than the number of
surveys completed.
Frequency of Donation
In Delaware County,
four times a year
a majority of people donate three to
(27.3%)
twice a year (25.2%).
followed closely by those who donate
Figure 4 (Appendix, V) also shows 17.1% of
blood donors do so every eight weeks.
For this eight week period
12.8% of the donors were donating for the first time.
Although
this was the smallest percentage of those responding, the eightyone pints it represents made a difference in the blood supply.
Knowledge of Blood Type
According
to
this
survey
over
25%
of
Delaware County do not know their blood type.
blood types were 0+
(23.5%)
and A+
(21.2%).
blood
donors
in
The most common
The remaining 25%
who responded to this question were classified in types B+, AB+,
A-, B-, 0-, AB-, A, B, 0, AB.
Refer to Table 5 (Appendix, VI)
for the breakdown.
Motivators
The motivation to donate blood comes
places
(see Table 6 and Figure 6,
donating blood
is
a
of
a
friend
or
life
VII).
and they
For some,
do
it as
others donate because of the suggestion
relative.
still
6
,i
Appendix,
regular part of
frequently as possible.
from many different
some decide to donate after
one-tenth
of
the donors.
occupations.
Some
individuals have
two or more
For example, a person may be a full time college
professor but also owns his own business; therefore, the number
of responses to this question are greater than the number of
surveys completed.
Freguency of Donation
In Delaware County,
four times a year
a majority of people donate three to
(27.3%)
twice a year (25.2%).
followed closely by those who donate
Figure 4 (Appendix, V) also shows 17.1% of
blood donors do so every eight weeks.
For this eight week period
12.8% of the donors were donating for the first time.
Although
this was the smallest percentage of those responding, the eightyone pints it represents made a difference in the blood supply.
Knowledge of Blood Type
According
to
this
survey
over
25%
of
Delaware County do not know their blood type.
blood types were 0+
(23.5%)
and A+
(21.2%).
blood
donors
in
The most common
The remaining 25%
who responded to this question were classified in types B+, AB+,
A-, B-, 0-, AB-, A,
B, 0, AB.
Refer to Table 5 (Appendix, VI)
for the breakdown.
Motivators
The motivation to donate blood comes
places
(See Table 6 and Figure 6,
donating blood
is
a
of a
friend
or
Appendix,
regular part of
frequently as possible.
from many different
VII).
For some,
life and they do
it as
others donate because of the suggestion
relative.
still some decide to donate after
6
"
times
a
Over 70%
year,
and they donate for a
of the
wide variety of reasons.
blood donors know their blood type,
donations occur on mobile drives.
8
and most
""
REFERENCES
Ball Memorial Hospital Blood Bank. Your Community Blood Program.
Bennett, William Ira, M.D.,
School Health Letter
Corcoran,
Elizabeth.
ed.
"Blood Safety." Harvard Medical
November, 1989:1-4.
"The Burden of Proof." Scientific American
April, 1989:79-80.
Marwick,
Charles.
"Six-Year Slowing Noted in Previously Growing
Rate of Blood Collections, Transfusions." JAMA 17 February,
1989:968-969.
9
APPENDIX
10
I'"
!ij
,
""
HONORS THESIS SURVEY
My name is Marni Heimendinger. I am a senior at Ball State
University majoring in microbiology. I am doing a survey of blood
donors as part of my honors thesis. I appreciate your assisting in my
research by completing this survey.
Sincerely,
Marni J. Heimendinger
1.
How old are you?
o
o
o
o
17-22
23-30
30-39
40-49
50-59
060 +
o
2. Are you.
o
3.
o
male
What is your occupation?
0 student
0 clergy
0 factory worker
0 education
!
female
0 skilled labor
0 health care
0 management/administration
4. Approximately how often do you donate?
0 first time donor
0 Every 8 weeks
0 Every 2-3 months
0 Every 6 months
0 Once a year
0 Less than once a year
5. What is your blood type?
--------
6. What promted you to donate?
o
o
o
o
newspaper ad
0 Poster
Radio announcement
0 Regular donor
Reminder card
0 Friend
Other__________________________________ _
I
- , - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -----------------
Blood Donor Age
2.70li
6.90li
I.BOli
D
17-22 Years 01 Age
•
23- 29 Years of Age
o
30-39 Years 01 Age
121 40-49 Years 01 Age
El 50-59 Years of Age
60+ Years of A e
IO_80li
Figure I
Totat
p ercent
17-22 years old
327
51.8\
23-29 years old
68
10.8\
30-39 years old
90
14.3\
40-49 years old
85
13.5\
50-59 years old
44
7.0\
60+ years old
17
2.7\
A1ge
Table 1
II
ri. ,
II
..
--------
Blood Donor Gender
1.70r.
38.40~
59.90n
E3 Male Donors
~
•
Female Donors
No Response
Figure 2. Gender
Graph
Gender
Total
Percent
Male
378
59.9l
Female
242
38.4l
II
1.7l
No Res onse
TabJe 2. Gender TabJe
III
Blood Donor Occupations
Self Employed/Business Owner
Retired
Exculive/Administrator
Sales Marketing
Homemaker
Clerical/Service Worker
Middle Man.gment
Professional/Technical l7-7'TTl 69
'1~~~8z1;;;Z;;;Z~~~~~ZJ 362
Tr.desm.n/LaborerlMachine Oper
Student
o
o
,
100
200
Number of People
Figure 3
Occupatlon
Tota1
Homemaker
26
Sales/Marketing
1.5
Professional/Technical
69
Clerical/Service Worker
30
Executive/Administrator
1.5
Tradesman/Laborer /
Machine Operator
81
Middle Manllgement
33
Self Employed/
Business Owner
11
Student
362
Retired
13
Table 3
IV
300
400
Blood Donation Frequency
3.80~
12.80~
13.90~
•
~
o
First Time Donor
Once a Year
Twice a Year
f2l 3 or oj Times a Year
IliI Every 8 Weeks
o
No Response
Figure 4
Total
Percent
First Time Donor
81
12.8\
Once A Year
87
13.8\
Twice A Year
159
25.2\
3 or 4 Times A Year
172
27.3\
Ever 8 Weeks
108
17.1\
No Res onse
24
3.8\
Table 4
v
--
----------
-----
-
- --
------
Blood Donor Type
m No Response
o
AB
00
o
B
rJ
A
m ABO 0-
N
....
N
00
W'\oD ...... "
~..;
N
.... .,.:. ....
~
~ I"too~ II'\~"
0";0 NO
r.:N
Percent of Blood Donors with Specific Blood Type
Figure S
Tl-ype
Total
percent
A+
B+
134
21.2'
43
6.8'
0+
148
AB+
10
23.5'
1.6,
A-
32
5.U
B-
9
1.4'
0-
47
7.4'
AB-
4
0.6'
A
11
1.7'
B
2
OJ'
0
16
2.5'
AB
2
OJ'
No Response
173
27.4'
Table 5
VI
•
El
BA-
f?l
AB+
•
EJ
0+
B+
•
A+
Blood Donor Motivators
322
Other
Donate Regularly
Friend/Relative
Poster
Now5pGpor Advortlomonl
Reminder Card
Radio Announcement
o
Iii!
100
200
300
400
Number of Donations Prompted
Figure 6
Motivators
Total.
News a er Advertisement
38
Poster
39
1
Radio Announcement
165
Reminder Card
32
Friend/Relative
108
Other
322
Table 6
VII
Donation Location
•
D
Figure 7
Location
Total
Percent
Mobile
484
76.7'1.
In Bank
147
23.3'1.
Table 7
VIII
Mobiles
In Bank