title: Perceived blood transfusion safety: a cross-European comparison.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  During the past decades, blood transfusions have become an ever safer clinical procedure in developed countries. Extensive donor screening together with improved infectious disease testing has led to a minimization of risks for transfusion recipients. Still, the general public perceives the process of blood transfusion as risky.
  
  
  METHODS
  This study tested variation in perceived transfusion safety across countries and explained it with individual and country factors. We examined whether individual demographic and macro-level factors (i.e. Human Development Index and Power Distance Index) explain variation within and across European countries. We applied multilevel models to 2009 Eurobarometer data collected in 26 countries (N = 20 874).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Results were largely in line with expectations derived from risk perception and power and status difference theories. Generally, women, older adults, the lower educated and those earning lower incomes perceived heightened risk. Most of the variation across Europe was explained by the Human Development Index. Risk perception regarding blood transfusions was lower in countries with higher Human Development Indices, that is countries with higher average education, life expectancy and Gross Domestic Product.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study provides new insights of how risk perception regarding blood transfusions is shaped within and across Europe. Both individual demographic factors and country characteristics play a role.
authors.affiliation: Sanquin Blood Supply, Amsterdam and VU University Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: E-M
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Merz
authors.affiliation: University of Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: B J H
authors.initials: BJ
authors.lastname: Zijlstra
authors.affiliation: Sanquin Blood Supply, and Amsterdam Medical Center, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: W L A M
authors.initials: WL
authors.lastname: de Kort
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D058731:Blood Safety; D001803:Blood Transfusion / Q000523:psychology*; D003710:Demography; D005060:Europe; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008962:Models, Theoretical; D010465:Perception; D012306:Risk; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: cross-European; multilevel; perceived risks; transfusion safety