title: [Educated donor--safe patient].
abstract: The safety of transfusion is still improving and very important is raising of education among donors. The important element is also awareness of the possibility of withdrawing themselves from the donation process when they know that their blood isn't suitable for recipients.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was checked of donor's knowledge about the risk of transfusion transmitted infections.
  
  
  METHODS
  The 581 regular donors (86.2% men, mean age 32 years) who answered of questions about tests which are performed in donation, and about their knowledge of transmission infections by transfusions. Donors gave blood average four times a year, for 11 years.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Over 85% of respondents believed that blood is safe. More than half of donors knew that during donation can be detected anemia, syphilis, jaundice, but 50% believed that the hepatitis viruses can be detected after one week after infection. More than 80% of donors knew about the possibility of detecting of HIV infection, but 11% written that HIV can be detected after one day after infection. Approximately 50% of donors believed that can be detected diabetes during donation, and more than 12% of them--that can be detected thyropathy and cancer. The 30% of blood donors didn't know what tests were performed in the blood donations. Donors (80%) knew about the risk groups. Donors (50%) knew correct temporary disqualification periods after surgery and tattoo also, but 17% of them indicated a shorter period of disqualification. 43% of donors shortened the time after gastroscopy. Over 30% of donors didn't know about risks of infection in case of contact with alien blood. A lot of donors (63.3%) knew about the possibility of withdrawing themselves from the donation and 43.5% of them knew about this rule.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The donor doesn't need to know the details of detection of infections in blood, but donor need to know that he should be aware that even a few months is needed to obtain a reliable result, which translates into transfusion safety. For this purpose, he should be given the appropriate information. Blood transfusion services should not only seek to increase the volume of donations, but to contribute to ensure that donors are given educational materials regarding infectious diseases transmitted by blood transfusion.
authors.affiliation: Regionalne Centrum Krwiodawstwa i Krwiolecznictwa. mnuzka@rckik.wroclaw.pl
authors.forename: Małgorzata
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Szymczyk-Nuzka
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001782:Blood Donors / Q000193:education*; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D007239:Infections / Q000635:transmission*; D008297:Male; D010353:Patient Education as Topic; D011044:Poland; D011159:Population Surveillance; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D065227:Transfusion Reaction