Blood donation is a safe and common activity that meets a critically important community need. When adverse events occur, most are mild and consist primarily of hematomas and vasovagal reactions (VVRs). VVRs are particularly frequent in teenage donors and there has been an increased effort to research and reduce these events.
VVRs can occur from the time the donor arrives at the donation site (i.e., before the donation process begins) until well after the donation is complete and the donor has departed. Such reactions have been associated with: (1) fear; (2) first-time donor status; (3) young age; (4) low estimated blood volume (EBV) and body weight; and (5) female gender.
This paper reviews the various forms of VVR among teenage donors and provide recommendations that cover both pre-donation education, environment setup as well as donation, and post-donation strategies. We have provided a quick summary sheet that can be used with your staff both inside your donor center and on mobile drives. Read more below.