Teen Blood Donors More Likely To Experience Complications
Blood donations are something that everyone is encouraged to do because there is usually a shortage. However, new research shows that 16-17 year olds may need to refrain from donating because they can suffer from complications that include bruising and fainting.
Dr. Anne F. Eder from the American Red Cross in Washington lead the new study and discovered that many of the younger donators around the age of 16 and 17 suffered from lightheadedness, bruising, and loss of consciousness in over 10.7% of the donors in this age group. Only 8.3% of the 18-19 year old donators had these symptoms and 2.8% from donators 20 and up.
Also, injuries related to fainting such as laceration requiring stitches, concussion, dental injuries and broken jaws, were more than twice as frequent in 16- and 17-year olds compared to 18- and 19-year olds and more than 14.56 times as likely than in the over-20 group.
These symptoms may prevent many from wanting to donate any blood. “Consequently, any negative experience diminishes the likelihood of return blood donation, and increases the possibility that a short-term yield in donations incurs the ultimate expense of deterring future blood donation by young donors,” the researchers wrote.
The discovered that even if it was even a small problem – such as sweating – they would not have the desire to come back and donate more within a year. The findings of the study, called “Adverse Reactions to Allogeneic Whole Blood Donation by 16- and 17-Year-Olds,” were published in the May 21 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.