[Blood donors at the county of Funen. Status based on more than five years of experience, 1995-2000].
BACKGROUND
The Danish blood donor organisation is considered to be one of the best organised in the world. At the same time, Denmark has very high numbers of blood donations and blood transfusions, compared to the number of inhabitants. In recent years, pressure has been put on the donor organisation, owing to a decline in the number of donors and because new treatment modalities and other initiatives take blood transfusion for granted.


METHODS
Information from the electronic databases of the County of Funen Transfusion Service on all blood donors in the county and its donor organisations from 1995 to September 2000 was extracted and analysed.


RESULTS
In September 2000, the County of Funen had 21,087 active blood donors organised in eight bodies, i.e. 4% of the inhabitants. There are significant differences between these bodies, but common to all is a relative lack of donors between the age of 18 and 35 years. Each year about 10% of the donors withdraw, which is equal to 14,127 donors in the period analysed. This withdrawal is only partly balanced by 7820 new donors, with the result that the total number of donors in the county is declining by an average of 1100 donors a year.


CONCLUSIONS
Several possibilities for action are proposed, for instance intensive recruitment campaigns, mobile blood drawing units, a change in the opening hours of blood banks, optimisation of the stocks, but, above all, the possibilities of reducing the amount of blood needed for transfusion. The Funen as well as the Danish health authorities must realise that blood for transfusion is no longer in unlimited supply, but in the future will be a rather restricted good.
Kristensen
T
T
Odense Universitetshospital, klinisk immunologisk afdeling, 5000 Odense C.
Georgsen
J
J
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001771:Blood Banks / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D001782:Blood Donors / Q000600:supply & distribution*; D001803:Blood Transfusion / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D003718:Denmark; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged