Abstract
When choosing a voluntary blood donor (VBD), it is important to ensure the donor health, and at the same time to produce a quality and safe blood product. The donor selection process leads to donor rejection related to their current health condition. The aim of this study was to determine gender differences in VBDs, to examine the reasons for their rejection, and to determine the share of permanently and temporarily deferred VBD, especially due to low hemoglobin levels. The research was conducted in eastern Croatia in the 2014 to 2018 period. The study included 144,041 blood donations from a total of 80,418 VBDs, of which 83.3% of donations were from male VBDs and 16.7% from female VBDs. There were 11.46% of temporarily deferred and permanently rejected donors. Out of all temporarily deferred donors and possible reasons for deferral, the largest share of deferrals referred to a reduced hemoglobin level, which accounted for 54% in female VBD and 46% in male VBD. Female VBDs made up to one-third of total VBDs and account for one-sixth of total blood donations. Low hemoglobin was the most common reason for VBD deferral. Gender and age are related to blood hemoglobin levels in rejected and accepted donors. Female VBDs represent a potential reservoir for increasing the total number of VBDs.