Demographic characteristics and risks for transfusion-transmissible infection among blood donors in Xinjiang autonomous region, People's Republic of China

BACKGROUND: The recruitment and retention of voluntary, nonremunerated blood donors continues to be a challenge in China. Understanding donor demographics and donor characteristics is crucial for any blood center in developing strategies to recruit potential donors. STUDY DESIGN and METHODS: The study population included all 29,784 whole blood donors from January 1 to December 31, 2003, at the Urumqi City Blood Center or one of its mobile blood collection buses. Demographic data, location, and frequency of donation and results of testing for transfusion-transmissible infection (TTI) were evaluated. RESULTS: The typical blood donor in Urumqi is male, less than 36 years of age, and Han Chinese; has at least a high school education; is a first-time donor; and donated at a mobile blood collection bus. The majority, 71 percent, were first-time donors. Among all donors, the seroprevalence rate of TTI was 3.5 percent for first-time donors, 2.7 percent for donors who donated twice, and 2.1 percent for donors who had donated three or more times. Han Chinese had lower seroprevalence rates of TTIs than ethnic minorities. Lower seroprevalence rates of TTIs were found among donors at mobile buses than at the blood centers. CONCLUSION: Similar to other donor populations, higher rates of TTIs were observed among first-time donors, and the prevalence decreased among repeated donors. One possible strategy for improving the safety of the blood supply might be for the blood center to recruit a cadre of donors who donate repeatedly, instead of relying on campaigns to recruit new donors from workplaces at each donation cycle.