The Effect of the Blood-donating Environment on Vasovagal Reaction

Wee, Jai Ho; Joung, Eue Suk; Seo, Hyoun Sook

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Active re-donation is important for the whole blood donation program. Preparation of the blood-collection environment to minimize vasovagal reaction (VVR) is very important because VVR is the most common factor for stopping re-donation.
METHODS
From the 1st of January to the 30th of November in 2005 at Busan Red Cross Blood Center, a total 195,247 donations from 138,093 donors were investigated for VVR.
RESULTS
The total frequency of VVR was 0.14%. The frequency of VVR of the group donors who donated in indoor collecting places was the highest and the next highest VVR frequency was for the outdoor donors group. Unexpectedly, the frequency of VVR was the lowest in donors who donated in a blood bus. Teenage donations of blood were most frequent, and the next were people in their twenties. The frequency of VVR was the highest in first-time donor group. The more blood donated, the less the subjects experienced VVR.
CONCLUSION
To recruit and retain the blood donors, the blood collection environment should be reconsidered for the group-donors in indoor- or outdoor places and not for those in the blood bus. In these places, it is important to educate the staff and prepare the blood-collecting environment where individual attention can be given to donors of the high-risk group for preventing VVR.