title: Travel behavior and deferral of Dutch blood donors: consequences for donor availability.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Donors returning from areas with outbreaks of infectious diseases may donate infectious blood back home. Geographic donor deferral is an effective measure to ensure the blood safety, but donor deferral may pose a threat for the blood supply especially after holiday seasons. Insight into the travel behavior of blood donors is a first step to define appropriate deferral strategies. This study describes the travel behavior of Dutch donors, the actual deferral, and the consequences of deferral strategies on donor availability.
  
  
  METHODS
  A questionnaire designed to assess travel behavior (destination, frequency, and duration of travels) was sent to 2000 Dutch donors. The impact of travel deferral policies on donor availability was calculated, expressed as proportionate decrease in donor availability. The deferral policies considered were 1) deferral based on entire countries instead of affected regions where an infection is prevalent and 2) deferral after any travel outside Europe ("universal deferral").
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of the 1340 respondents, 790 (58.9%) donors traveled within Europe only, 61 (4.6%) outside Europe only, and 250 (18.7%) within and outside Europe. The deferral for entire countries and universal deferral would lead to 11.1 and 11.4% decrease in donor availability, respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Most Dutch donors traveled outside the Netherlands, while 23.2% traveled outside Europe. Universal deferral resulted in an additional decrease in donor availability of 0.3% compared with deferral for entire countries instead of affected regions where an infection is prevalent. Thus, the universal deferral could be considered as a simpler and safer measure.
authors: Department of Blood-Borne Infections, Sanquin Blood Supply Foundation, Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
authors: Ryanne W
authors: RW
authors: Lieshout-Krikke
authors: Welling
authors: W
authors: Oei
authors: Karin
authors: K
authors: Habets
authors: Pieternel C M
authors: PC
authors: Pasker-de Jong
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001782:Blood Donors / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence / Q000600:supply & distribution*; D004196:Disease Outbreaks; D046148:Donor Selection / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D019353:Endemic Diseases; D005260:Female; D014943:Global Health; D006801:Humans; D017053:Infection Control / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009426:Netherlands; D012494:Sampling Studies; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013997:Time Factors; D014195:Travel