engleski

Sexual behaviour of the Croatian blood donors as a threat for the health of blood recipients

Background. This cross-sectional study assessed the prevalence of the various blood safety sexual behavioural risks among the blood donors from East Croatia and the possibilities for the improvement of the present blood donor screening procedure. Materials and Methods. The study included 423 blood donors of both sexes who completed the specially designed anonymous questionnaire immediately after their blood donations. The questionnaire contained questions on their demographic data, their sexual preferences, and the possible sexual risk behaviour in the period before the blood donation. Results. The study revealed that the most common forms of sexual risk behaviour among Croatian blood donors had been irregular condom use during the sexual contacts with new partners (294/423 ; 69.5%) and five or more sexual partners during the lifetime (213/423 ; 50.4%). There were more male than female subjects with five or more sexual partners during the lifetime (p<0.0001). Single subjects more frequently reported sexual contacts without a condom with the new partners in the period from the last blood donation and also in the period of one month before current blood donation than married subjects (p<0.0001 ; p=0.0060 ; respectively). There was larger number of younger than older subjects who had practiced different types of sexual intercourses during the lifetime (p=0.0002) but there was more older than younger subjects who reported irregular use of condom on sexual contacts with a new partner during the lifetime (p=0.0231). Conclusion. Blood donors who were involved in the various forms of sexual risk behaviour represent a serious threat for the health of blood recipients. In this respect a new approach to blood donor screening procedure with additional questions on sexual behaviour in anonymous donor questionnaires would improve the safety of the transfusion treatment in East Croatia.

blood donors ; anonymous questionnaire ; sexual behaviour ; donor screening ; Croatia

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