Richard Mills, Eva-Maria Merz, Mark Croucher, Barbara Masser, Susan R Brailsford, Robert Smith, Eamonn Ferguson
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引用次数: 0
Abstract
Background: The UK's Infected Blood Inquiry (IBI) highlighted a major public health scandal, with at least 30 000 people infected and more than 3000 deaths attributable to infected blood and blood products. This study investigates the impact of the IBI announcement on May 20, 2024, on public perceptions of blood supply risk, safety, and donation intentions in the UK compared to the USA.
Methods: A 2 (country: UK vs. USA) × 2 (time: pre-, post-IBI announcement) between-within-subject study was conducted with 1635 participants (888 UK, 747 USA). Pre-IBI data were collected from May 3 to 7, 2024, and post-IBI data from May 30 to June 30, 2024. Key measures were perceived infection risk from transfusion, transfusion safety, willingness to donate and encourage others. The impact was assessed using differences-in-differences (DiD) and reliable-change-indices (RCI).
Results: UK participants showed a significant but small decrease in perceived safety compared to USA participants, with 1 in 30 UK individuals perceiving a significant reduction in perceived transfusion safety. Decreases in perceived safety were associated with significant decreases in willingness to donate and encouragement of others in the whole sample and in USA participants and significant decreases in willingness to encourage others in UK participants. Older people reported a greater reduction in safety, and non-donors were more likely to be put off donating and not ask others to donate as a result of their perception that safety had been reduced.
Conclusion: Overall, perceived safety decreased marginally in the UK general population. Future research should explore the long-term impacts of the IBI.
期刊介绍:
Transfusion Medicine publishes articles on transfusion medicine in its widest context, including blood transfusion practice (blood procurement, pharmaceutical, clinical, scientific, computing and documentary aspects), immunohaematology, immunogenetics, histocompatibility, medico-legal applications, and related molecular biology and biotechnology.
In addition to original articles, which may include brief communications and case reports, the journal contains a regular educational section (based on invited reviews and state-of-the-art reports), technical section (including quality assurance and current practice guidelines), leading articles, letters to the editor, occasional historical articles and signed book reviews. Some lectures from Society meetings that are likely to be of general interest to readers of the Journal may be published at the discretion of the Editor and subject to the availability of space in the Journal.