Intensification of donor interviewing procedures: a feasibility study.

Objective: To determine the feasibility and acceptability for the blood donor of an intensified blood donor interviewing procedure on high-risk factors for infectious diseases. To answer the question whether an intensified blood donor interviewing procedure would lead to an unacceptable loss of blood donors.

Design: Feasibility study.

Setting: Red Cross Bloodbank Rotterdam. DONORS: Study group of 240 first-time donors.

Interventions: Intensified donor interviewing techniques by direct questioning and workload assessment.

Results: Intensified interviewing was welcomed by 88-91% of first-time donors and rejected by 2-5%. On the question whether the intensified interviewing procedure should be the standard approach of the blood bank the answer was positive in 76-82% of first-time donors and negative in 11-14%. No blood donors indicated that this would be a reason to withdraw from blood donation. The workload for the blood bank physician increased by approximately 30%.

Conclusion: The approach of intensified donor interviewing techniques in first-time donors is acceptable both to the donors and the blood bank workload.