Teen chic causes drop in number of blood donors

By KATHERINE HOBY

Teenage trends for body piercings are preventing one of the most generous group of blood donors from giving.

The Blood Service has to decline donations from those who have had a body piercing or tattoo within the past year, because of the potential for serious infection.

National donor manager Tony Smith said donations from 10 per cent of the total Auckland donor base had to be deferred for 12 months.

Secondary and tertiary students represented about a fifth of total donors, but up to half of those who came forward had to be stood down.

Mr Smith said that although it was not a crisis for the service, recent piercings or tattoos did prevent otherwise eligible donors from giving blood.

"We do have to say that, just on the off chance the needle wasn't sterilised properly, or if the tattoo ink was re-used, we can't take you," Mr Smith said. "However, we welcome you back in 12 months."

He said infections such as hepatitis and HIV could take up to a year to show up in the blood, and that was the concern.

Tests were being developed that might mean donors with piercings or tattoos had to stand down for just six months.

A ban on anyone who had lived in Britain for six months or more between 1980 and 1996 had also meant the service had to think of innovative ways to attract donors.

The ban was due to the risk of passing on Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease from having eaten British beef.

Concerns were raised in November 1999, and a ban followed in February 2000.

Mr Smith said the Blood Service took a " 10 per cent hit" (about 12,000 donors) because of the CJD scare. The United States donor base lost 2 per cent of donors and the Australians 5 per cent.

The worldwide profile of a blood donor is of someone well educated, of the upper social groups, and well travelled. Mr Smith said the Kiwi urge to go on the big overseas experience, especially to Europe, meant the service was hit hard.

"We do get stressed," he said.

"My problem is getting donors in the door. It is a constant challenge to make sure there are enough."

A "red felt-tip" advertising campaign seemed to capture the public's imagination, and donor levels were soon back almost to normal.

Mr Smith said one of the toughest things about keeping numbers up was getting first-time donors to return.

Australian and United States research suggests 40 to 60 per cent of first-timers do not return.

"There are 120,000 donors around the country but a lot of them are inactive."

In the middle of last year the service formed a partnership with Message Media to formulate an e-mail campaign to get donors back.

The option had two main advantages - it was immediate and cheap. It allowed donors to make appointments by e-mail.

The campaign was tested over Waitangi weekend and was an immediate success.

While it was a constant challenge to enlist donors, and to keep them coming back, Mr Smith said he enjoyed his job.

"Our ethos is to supply blood product wherever and whenever it's needed. And I am pleased to think I am helping save lives."

* To contact the Blood Service ring 0800-448-325 or see the blood graphic on A10 for regional numbers.

FACT FILE

*AB is the rarest blood type, O+ is the most common. About 41 per cent of the population is O+. The other blood groups are: O- (7 per cent), A+ (34 per cent), A- (5 per cent), B+ (8 per cent), B- (2 per cent), AB+ (2 per cent), and AB- (1 per cent)

*Four per cent of people will give blood. Eighty per cent will need it some time in their life

*There are three blood components donors can give: whole blood, platelets and plasma

*Blood is used for accident victims, for those in surgery, for those with leukaemia, for burns victims, for premature babies and for many others

*Donated blood lasts 35 days, platelets just 5

*A donated unit of blood is equivalent to about a pint