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Jacko G, Thorpe R, Daly J. Equity in blood transfusion precision services. Int J Equity Health 2024; 23:77. [PMID: 38637779 PMCID: PMC11027542 DOI: 10.1186/s12939-024-02170-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2022] [Accepted: 04/03/2024] [Indexed: 04/20/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Blood collection agencies are integrating precision medicine techniques to improve and individualise blood donor and recipient outcomes. These organisations have a role to play in ensuring equitable application of precision medicine technologies for both donors and transfusion recipients. BODY: Precision medicine techniques, including molecular genetic testing and next generation sequencing, have been integrated in transfusion services to improve blood typing and matching with the aim to reduce a variety of known transfusion complications. Internationally, priorities in transfusion research have aimed to optimise services through the use of precision medicine technologies and consider alternative uses of genomic information to personalise transfusion experiences for both recipients and donors. This has included focusing on the use of genomics when matching blood products for transfusion recipients, to personalise a blood donor's donation type or frequency, and longitudinal donor research utilising blood donor biobanks. CONCLUSION Equity in precision services and research must be of highest importance for blood collection agencies to maintain public trust, especially when these organisations rely on volunteer donors to provide transfusion services. The investment in implementing equitable precision medicine services, including development of blood donor biobanks, has the potential to optimise and personalise services for both blood donors and transfusion recipients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Georgina Jacko
- Pathology and Clinical Governance, Australian Red Cross Lifeblood, Brisbane, QLD, Australia.
| | - Rachel Thorpe
- Strategy and Growth, Australian Red Cross Lifeblood, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
- Melbourne School of Population and Global Health, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - James Daly
- Pathology and Clinical Governance, Australian Red Cross Lifeblood, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
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Lewin A, Osiowy C, Erikstrup C, Custer B, Renaud C, Tiberghien P, Russell A, Lieshout-Krikke R, O'Brien SF. Research partnerships between blood services and public health authorities: An international, cross-sectional survey. Vox Sang 2022; 117:1368-1374. [PMID: 36366797 DOI: 10.1111/vox.13374] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2022] [Revised: 10/13/2022] [Accepted: 10/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES The COVID-19 pandemic has brought to the fore how blood services can partner with public health (PH) authorities to inform decisions. Yet the scope of partnerships between blood services and PH authorities is inadequately documented. We explored how blood services partner with PH authorities outside the scope of COVID-19. MATERIALS AND METHODS On 19 January 2022, survey was sent to employees of blood services located throughout the world. Survey questions mainly pertained to partnerships with PH authorities, including how blood specimens are used and collected. RESULTS Twenty-seven recipients-4 (14.8%) in Africa, 3 (11.1%) in Asia, 9 (33.3%) in Europe, 6 (22.2%) in North America, 2 (7.4%) in Oceania and 3 (11.1%) in South America-completed the survey. Fifteen recipients (55.6%) indicated their blood service was directly or indirectly supervised by PH authorities. Twenty-four recipients (88.9%) indicated currently using or planning to use blood donor data or samples for PH research or pathogen surveillance. A substantial proportion of respondents reported using samples or results from non-routine tests for the surveillance of non-transfusion-transmitted infectious disease pathogens (n = 13 [48.1%]); samples or results of non-routine tests for PH research unrelated to pathogens (n = 10 [37.0%]); donor data for PH research unrelated to pathogens (n = 12 [44.4%]) and donor data for PH research unrelated to transfusion safety (n = 11 [40.7%]). Fourteen (51.9%) had established (or planned to establish) longitudinal cohorts and 19 (70.4%) biobanks. CONCLUSION The majority of responding blood services were already involved in or planned to be involved in PH research or pathogen surveillance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Antoine Lewin
- Héma-Québec, Medical Affairs and Innovation, Montreal, Canada
| | - Carla Osiowy
- National Microbiology Laboratory, Public Health Agency of Canada, Winnipeg, Canada
| | - Christian Erikstrup
- Department of Clinical Immunology, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus, Denmark.,Department of Clinical Medicine, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Brian Custer
- Vitalant Research Institute, San Francisco, California, USA.,Department of Laboratory Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, California, USA
| | | | - Pierre Tiberghien
- Établissement Français du Sang, La Plaine Saint Denis, France.,UMR RIGHT 1098, Inserm, Etablissement Français du Sang, University of Franche-Comté, Besançon, France
| | - Alton Russell
- School of Population and Global Health, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | | | - Sheila F O'Brien
- Epidemiology & Surveillance, Canadian Blood Services, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
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O'Brien SF, Drews SJ, Lewin A, Russell A, Davison K, Goldman M. How do we decide how representative our donors are for public health surveillance? Transfusion 2022; 62:2431-2437. [PMID: 36193865 DOI: 10.1111/trf.17140] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2022] [Revised: 09/13/2022] [Accepted: 09/13/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Surveillance of blood donors is fundamental to safety of the blood supply. Such data can also be useful for public health policy but tend to be underutilized. When the COVID-19 pandemic arrived, blood centers around the world measured blood donor SARS-CoV-2 seroprevalence to inform public health policy. There is now a movement toward blood centers becoming more involved in public health research and surveillance post-pandemic. However, blood donors are a healthy population and not representative of all segments of the general population. In this article, we explain how blood centers can evaluate their donor base to understand which part of the general population they are representative of. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS Methodologic approaches for evaluating samples relative to the target population were reviewed. Blood donor data that are available to most blood centers were identified and application to assess representativeness of blood donors was evaluated. RESULTS Key aspects of blood donor data to compare with general population data include donor selection criteria, health indicators, geography, and demographics. In some cases, statistical adjustment can improve representativeness. DISCUSSION Comparing key blood donor data with corresponding general population data can define the subset of the general population for which a particular blood center's donors may be representative of. We suggest that donors are an ideal convenience population for surveillance of infectious agents which are frequently asymptomatic and main routes of transmission are not deferrable, for studying the natural history of disease in an initially well population, and for vaccination serology surveillance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sheila F O'Brien
- Canadian Blood Services, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.,School of Epidemiology & Public Health, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | - Steven J Drews
- Canadian Blood Services, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.,Department of Laboratory Medicine & Pathology, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
| | - Antoine Lewin
- Héma-Québec, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.,Faculty of Medicine & Health Sciences, University of Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, Quebec, Canada
| | - Alton Russell
- School of Population and Global Health, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | | | - Mindy Goldman
- Canadian Blood Services, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.,Department of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
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Buhmeida A, Assidi M, Alyazidi O, Olwi DI, Althuwaylimi A, Yahya FM, Arfaoui L, Merdad L, Abuzenadah AM. Assessment of Biobanking Knowledge and Attitudes towards Biospecimen Donation among Healthcare Providers in Saudi Arabia. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2022; 19:11872. [PMID: 36231176 PMCID: PMC9565163 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph191911872] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2022] [Revised: 09/06/2022] [Accepted: 09/12/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Biobanking is a critical cornerstone of the global shift towards precision medicine (PM). This transformation requires smooth and informed interaction between a range of stakeholders involved in the healthcare system. In Saudi Arabia, there is still insufficient awareness of the importance of biobanking and its potential benefits for patients, the healthcare system, and society as a whole. The purpose of this study was to determine the biobanking knowledge of Saudi healthcare providers and the potential factors that might influence their self-reported attitudes toward biospecimen donation and biobanking. METHODS A cross-sectional study was conducted targeting 636 healthcare providers in Makkah province using a structured, self-administered questionnaire. RESULTS The study had a response rate of 61%. The mean knowledge level about biobanks was 3.5 (±1.8) out of 7. About one-third of the participants were aware of the Human Genome Project (HGP) (35%) or the term "biobank" (34%). The mean rating of their attitude was 37.3 (±4.3) out of 55. Most participants (74%) had a positive attitude toward medical research. Job position, general health, previous blood tests, knowledge of biobanking, and attitudes toward biomedical research were significantly related and predictors of willingness to donate biospecimens (p < 0.05). However, concerns about biospecimen misuse and confidentiality were the main reasons for not donating biospecimens. CONCLUSIONS This study has shown that healthcare providers mostly lack basic knowledge about HGP and biobanks and their roles and activities, and therefore are generally disinclined to actively participate in biospecimens' collection and management. It is recommended that medical trainees receive more education and awareness about biobanks and the latest personalized healthcare approaches to improve translational research outcomes and achieve precision medicine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abdelbaset Buhmeida
- Center of Excellence in Genomic Medicine Research, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah 22254, Saudi Arabia
| | - Mourad Assidi
- Center of Excellence in Genomic Medicine Research, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah 22254, Saudi Arabia
- Department of Medical Laboratory Technology, Faculty of Applied Medical Sciences, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah 22254, Saudi Arabia
| | - Omar Alyazidi
- Public Health Administration, Directorate of Health Affairs of Jeddah Region, Ministry of Health, Jeddah 23222, Saudi Arabia
| | - Duaa Ibrahim Olwi
- King Abdullah International Medical Research Center, Jeddah 22384, Saudi Arabia
- King Saud bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences, Jeddah 22384, Saudi Arabia
- MRC Epidemiology Unit, Institute of Metabolic Science, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 1TN, UK
| | - Ahmed Althuwaylimi
- School of Health and Related Research (ScHARR), University of Sheffield, Sheffield S10 2TN, UK
| | - Fatimah M. Yahya
- Biochemistry Department, Faculty of Sciences, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah 22254, Saudi Arabia
| | - Leila Arfaoui
- Clinical Nutrition Department, Faculty of Applied Medical Sciences, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah 22254, Saudi Arabia
| | - Leena Merdad
- Faculty of Dentistry, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah 22254, Saudi Arabia
| | - Adel Mohammad Abuzenadah
- Center of Excellence in Genomic Medicine Research, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah 22254, Saudi Arabia
- Department of Medical Laboratory Technology, Faculty of Applied Medical Sciences, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah 22254, Saudi Arabia
- King Fahd Medical Research Center, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah 22254, Saudi Arabia
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Machalek DA, Vette KM, Downes M, Carlin JB, Nicholson S, Hirani R, Irving DO, Gosbell IB, Gidding HF, Shilling H, Aung E, Macartney K, Kaldor JM. Serological testing of blood donors to characterise the impact of COVID-19 in Melbourne, Australia, 2020. PLoS One 2022; 17:e0265858. [PMID: 35793307 PMCID: PMC9258843 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0265858] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2022] [Accepted: 06/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Rapidly identifying and isolating people with acute SARS-CoV-2 infection has been a core strategy to contain COVID-19 in Australia, but a proportion of infections go undetected. We estimated SARS-CoV-2 specific antibody prevalence (seroprevalence) among blood donors in metropolitan Melbourne following a COVID-19 outbreak in the city between June and September 2020. The aim was to determine the extent of infection spread and whether seroprevalence varied demographically in proportion to reported cases of infection. The design involved stratified sampling of residual specimens from blood donors (aged 20-69 years) in three postcode groups defined by low (<3 cases/1,000 population), medium (3-7 cases/1,000 population) and high (>7 cases/1,000 population) COVID-19 incidence based on case notification data. All specimens were tested using the Wantai SARS-CoV-2 total antibody assay. Seroprevalence was estimated with adjustment for test sensitivity and specificity for the Melbourne metropolitan blood donor and residential populations, using multilevel regression and poststratification. Overall, 4,799 specimens were collected between 23 November and 17 December 2020. Seroprevalence for blood donors was 0.87% (90% credible interval: 0.25-1.49%). The highest estimates, of 1.13% (0.25-2.15%) and 1.11% (0.28-1.95%), respectively, were observed among donors living in the lowest socioeconomic areas (Quintiles 1 and 2) and lowest at 0.69% (0.14-1.39%) among donors living in the highest socioeconomic areas (Quintile 5). When extrapolated to the Melbourne residential population, overall seroprevalence was 0.90% (0.26-1.51%), with estimates by demography groups similar to those for the blood donors. The results suggest a lack of extensive community transmission and good COVID-19 case ascertainment based on routine testing during Victoria's second epidemic wave. Residual blood donor samples provide a practical epidemiological tool for estimating seroprevalence and information on population patterns of infection, against which the effectiveness of ongoing responses to the pandemic can be assessed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dorothy A. Machalek
- The Kirby Institute, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia
- Centre for Women’s Infectious Diseases, The Royal Women’s Hospital, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Kaitlyn M. Vette
- National Centre for Immunisation Research and Surveillance, Sydney, Australia
| | - Marnie Downes
- Murdoch Children’s Research Institute, Melbourne, Australia
| | - John B. Carlin
- Murdoch Children’s Research Institute, Melbourne, Australia
- Department of Paediatrics and School of Population and Global Health, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Suellen Nicholson
- Victorian Infectious Diseases Reference Laboratory, The Royal Melbourne Hospital, The Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Rena Hirani
- Clinical Services and Research, Australian Red Cross Lifeblood, Sydney, Australia
- Department of Molecular Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, Australia
| | - David O. Irving
- Clinical Services and Research, Australian Red Cross Lifeblood, Sydney, Australia
- Faculty of Health, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, Australia
| | - Iain B. Gosbell
- Clinical Services and Research, Australian Red Cross Lifeblood, Sydney, Australia
- School of Medicine, Western Sydney University, Sydney, Australia
| | - Heather F. Gidding
- National Centre for Immunisation Research and Surveillance, Sydney, Australia
- Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney Northern Clinical School, Sydney, Australia
- Women and Babies Research, Kolling Institute, Northern Sydney Local Health District, Sydney, Australia
| | - Hannah Shilling
- Centre for Women’s Infectious Diseases, The Royal Women’s Hospital, Melbourne, Australia
- Murdoch Children’s Research Institute, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Eithandee Aung
- The Kirby Institute, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia
- Centre for Women’s Infectious Diseases, The Royal Women’s Hospital, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Kristine Macartney
- National Centre for Immunisation Research and Surveillance, Sydney, Australia
- School of Medicine, Western Sydney University, Sydney, Australia
| | - John M. Kaldor
- The Kirby Institute, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia
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