Screening test for drug abuse among blood donors in the North of West Bank, a cross-sectional study.

Abstract

Background: Illicit substances can make their way into the circulation of hospitalized individuals who received blood units from unverified donors, endangering their lives in the process. This study aimed to investigate the percentage and the types of drugs of use in donated blood of Palestinians in the North West Bank.

Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted at two major hospitals in Nablus. Three hundred eighty-two male donors aged 18-65 were recruited, surveyed by questionnaires, and tested for illicit substances (12 drugs) by multidrug urine tests.

Results: Out of the 12 drugs tested, five were found to be positive in the participant's urine, and 11.8% of participants had positive results for at least one drug. 7.1%, 6.3%, 5.5%, 4.2%, and 1.8% tested positive for benzodiazepines, amphetamine, methamphetamine, tetrahydrocannabinol and barbiturates, respectively. Moreover, 5.0% of the participants tested positive for a single drug, 4.2% for two drugs, and 2.9% for three drugs, 1.3% for four substances simultaneously, and 0.3 for five drugs. Waterpipe smoking (OR = 2.348, p-value = 0.016) and e-cigarette use (OR = 2.965, p-value = 0.020) were significantly associated with illicit substance use. Benzodiazepines' users were more likely to barbiturates (OR = 44.783, p-value = 0.004) and methamphetamine (OR = 12.158, p-value = 0.013) users.

Conclusion: The present study highlights the importance of screening blood and blood products in blood banks for commonly used drugs, in addition to regular checkups for infectious diseases. It is advised to make this step a routine in blood screening as much as the facilities permit. Controlling and confiscating drugs of use and illegal substances requires better strategies and procedures.