Altruism, gender and biosecurity in blood donation in Oaxaca

Abstract

Objective: To estimate and analyze gender differences in altruistic blood donation and in the biosafety of the donation process among donors attended at the State Blood Transfusion Center (CETS) in Oaxaca, Mexico.

Materials and Methods: Cross-sectional study with a mixed approach. The demographic distribution of altruistic donation, the characteristics of altruism by gender, the causes of rejection prior to donation and subsequent self-exclusion were evaluated. Records from the CETS Oaxaca from 2006 to 2021 (n=118,153) were reviewed and 88 semi-structured interviews were conducted with donors between 2022 and 2023.

Results: One in five blood donors at CETS Oaxaca is a woman (20.2 %), yet women are 52 % more likely to be altruistic donors. Pre-donation deferral based on interview, physical examination, and blood screening was higher among women than among men (7.4 % vs. 4.5 %). Among deferral causes, inadequate hematological values were more frequent in women, whereas preexisting conditions, risk practices, and the biosafety category showed higher proportions in men. Post-donation self-exclusion was below 1 % in both sexes and tended to be slightly higher in replacement donation than in altruistic donation.

Conclusions: Important differences were identified between men and women in both motivations for altruistic blood donation and key biosafety indicators of the donation process. These findings provide elements to strengthen donor recruitment and selection strategies, as well as to improve transfusion safety and the health of women and the general population.

Keywords: Blood donation; Altruism; Blood safety.