Risk factors for human immunodeficiency virus infection among blood donors in Sao Paulo, Brazil, and their relevance to current donor deferral criteria.

BackgroundThe objective of this study was to investigate risk factors of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-seropositive blood donors in Brazil and to determine if current donor deferral criteria are appropriate.Study design and methodsDemographic and behavioral data among cases with confirmed HIV seropositivity (n = 272) were compared with those who had a false-positive serology (n = 468) between January 1999 and December 2003 in a case-control analysis with logistic regression.ResultsRisk factors that should have resulted in predonation deferral were reported by 48.9 percent of HIV-positive and 9.4 percent of false-positive donors. In multivariate analysis, male cases were significantly more likely to report male-male sex (adjusted odds ratio [AOR], 26.2; 95% confidence interval [CI], 7.8-87.4), a previous sexually transmitted disease diagnosis (AOR, 3.2; 95% CI, 1.5-6.9), exchanging money for sex (AOR, 2.1; 95% CI, 1.0-4.2), and at least two partners in the past 12 months (AOR, 2.3; 95% CI, 1.4-3.6). HIV-positive male donors were also more likely to be reactive for the presence of hepatitis C virus antibody (AOR, 4.0; 95% CI, 1.3-12.0) and hepatitis B virus core antibody (AOR, 3.8; 95% CI, 1.9-7.7). Female cases were more likely to report an intravenous drug user partner (AOR, 12.4; 95% CI, 1.3-120.2), a sexual partner with multiple sex partners or who had a history of sex with a sex worker (AOR, 13.0; 95% CI, 2.7-63.2), and at least two partners in the past 12 months (AOR, 2.2; 95% CI, 1.0-5.3).ConclusionA substantial number of HIV-infected donors reported a risk factor that could have been identified in the predonation screening. Male-male sexual behavior was still the strongest determinant of HIV status in the studied population

A randomized trial to evaluate the use of text messaging, letter, and telephone call reminders to improve return of blood donors with reactive serologic tests

BACKGROUND: Low return rates for notification and counseling among donors with reactive serologic screening tests have been reported worldwide. A randomized trial to test the effectiveness of text message, letter, or telephone call reminders to improve return among nonresponding first- time blood donors with reactive serologic tests was conducted. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: Donors with serologically reactive screening test results who had a cell phone and resided in the metropolitan telephone area code of Sao Paulo in the period from August 2013 through July 2014 were eligible. A consecutive sample of first- time donors with reactive screening tests who had not responded to a standard letter requesting the donor return to the blood center were randomly assigned to receive a text, a new letter, or a telephone call requesting return for notification and counseling. Return rates were measured over the subsequent 30 days. RESULTS: The return rate after a phone call reminder was better than that for a text message (39.8% vs. 28.4%odds ratio [OR], 1.6695% confidence interval [CI], 1.05- 2.64) but not better than that for a letter (39.8% vs. 34.4%OR, 1.2695% CI, 0.80- 1.99). Older age was a predictor of higher rate of return with each year increase in age associated with a 2% increase in the odds of return (OR, 1.0295% CI, 1.01- 1.04). CONCLUSION: In nonresponding serologic reactive donors, telephone call led to a higher return rate than text message. The results of this study suggest that use of text messages, while attractive for its simplicity, will not lead to increased donor notification success after serologically reactive marker results from blood donation in Brazil.BSRIUniversity of California, San FranciscoFundacao Prosangue Hemoctr Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo, SP, BrazilUniv Sao Paulo, Fac Med, Dept Med Sci, Sao Paulo, SP, BrazilBlood Syst Res Inst, San Francisco, CA USAUniv Calif San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143 USAUniv Fed Sao Paulo, Dept Emergency Med Based Evidences, Sao Paulo, SP, BrazilDepartment of Emergency Medicine Based on Evidences, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, BrazilWeb of Scienc