Factors Affecting Blood Donations among COVID-19 Plasma Donors at a Tertiary Care Hospital in Mandya, Karnataka, India

Abstract

Introduction: Blood group antibodies are associated with susceptibility to Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) infection among different blood groups. Factors such as age and male sex have been identified as risk factors for COVID-19 and disease severity. Aim: Determination of blood groups of COVID-19 positive plasma donors and examine the association of blood groups with different sexes and age groups. Additionally, the study aims to investigate the factors that either prevent or motivate COVID-19 positive individuals to donate plasma. Materials and Methods: This retrospective cross-sectional study analysed records from July 2020 to June 2021 at the Blood Bank of Mandya Institute of Medical Sciences, Mandya, Karnataka, India. The sample size included 115 COVID-19 plasma donors, selected using inclusion and exclusion criteria. Data on blood group, age, sex, and factors influencing plasma donation were recorded. The collected data was entered into a Microsoft Excel sheet and analysed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 20.0 statistical software, applying the Chi-square test. Results: Among the 115 COVID-19 positive patients, 113 were males and two were females. The most commonly affected age group was between 31-40 years (44 donors), and the most commonly observed blood group was O+ve (44 cases). There was no significant association between gender and age group (p-value-0.299). Similarly, there was no significant association between blood group and age groups (p-value-0.730). When evaluating the reasons for donating blood, the majority of people (33 out of 115) mentioned that their family member required blood. The provision of transport facilities by the blood bank did not significantly increase the number of blood donations, as most people preferred using their own vehicles (44 out of 115) due to the fear of COVID-19 infection. Among their friends, the main reason for not donating blood was the fear of infection (63 out of 115). Conclusion: Individual with blood group ‘O’ were more affected by COVID-19 compared to other blood groups. The pandemic has impacted blood transfusion services as fewer donors are visiting hospitals for blood donation. It is important to thoroughly assess and address the various reasons that prevent individuals from donating plasma through mass awareness campaigns.