title: Impact of changes to policy for Mexican risk travel on Canadian blood donor deferrals.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Travel to malaria risk areas such as Mexico is a common source of donor deferral in Canada. On February 21st, 2011 the deferrable regions in Mexico were revised to permit donation if donors travelled to the state of Quintana Roo, Mexico, a popular ocean-side resort area.
  
  
  METHODS
  Canadian travel data and malaria deferral rates since 2007 were plotted to examine trends. Deferral records in one centre were accessed from January to April, 2011 to tabulate travel destinations of deferred donors immediately before and after the change.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Travel to Mexico and the Caribbean accounts for 63% of general population travel, and travel to Mexico has been increasing (P <0.05). Deferral for short-term malaria risk travel has a strong seasonal trend with peaks in the winter and troughs in the summer. Approximately 36,000 fewer donations were lost following the change, a reduction of 37% from the previous year. Deferrals in one centre increased for Caribbean/Central America after the change (P <0.05) consistent with the seasonal trend, but decreased for Mexico (P <0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Deferrals for malaria risk travel are substantial. Careful revision and refinement of risk areas of travel can significantly reduce the burden of deferral.
authors.affiliation: Departments of Epidemiology and Community Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa ON, Canada Canadian Blood Services, Ottawa ON, Canada.
authors.forename: Sheila F
authors.initials: SF
authors.lastname: O'Brien
authors.affiliation: Canadian Blood Services, Ottawa ON, Canada.
authors.forename: Samra
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Uzicanin
authors.affiliation: Canadian Blood Services, Ottawa ON, Canada.
authors.forename: Karine
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Choquet
authors.affiliation: Departments of Epidemiology and Community Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa ON, Canada Canadian Blood Services, Ottawa ON, Canada.
authors.forename: Qi-Long
authors.initials: QL
authors.lastname: Yi
authors.affiliation: Canadian Blood Services, Ottawa ON, Canada.
authors.forename: Wenli
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Fan
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa ON, Canada Canadian Blood Services, Ottawa ON, Canada.
authors.forename: Mindy
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Goldman
mesh_terms: D001782:Blood Donors; D002170:Canada; D046148:Donor Selection; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008288:Malaria / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000635:transmission; D008297:Male; D008800:Mexico; D012307:Risk Factors; D014195:Travel