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Furthermore, not all Lithuanians who can donate blood are far from doing so. One of the reasons is various fears, the other is still full of old myths that scare people.
What happens in the human body when donating blood, how it affects the physical and emotional health of other people, for whom this procedure can be really dangerous and when a person cannot donate blood, and what is the current situation in the largest hospitals in the world country. hematologist Lina Kryžauskaite and LIDMUL Kaunas Clinics Blood Center doctor Vaida Vilutiene.
Most worrying was the reaction of the people in the spring.
L. Kryžauskaitė says that almost the most difficult situation and the greatest shortage of blood reserves in the Santara clinics was in the spring, when people simply did not come to donate blood for fear of infection.
“When we announced the first quarantine, we thought: wow, now it will be. At first it stopped, people panicked, but most of society is adequate, intelligent and aware, and she understands that it will not be otherwise. That if Onutė doesn’t give, Peter doesn’t give, it really won’t be enough when I need it, ”says the doctor.
© DELFI / Josvydas Elinskas
Lina Kryžauskaitė
According to L. Kryžauskaitė, since the spring, the Santara Clinic has not been organizing donation drives, people are invited to donate blood in person, the blood is collected only at the Blood Center due to the safety of the donors and the personal. About 100 people come here every day, he says. The interviewee is glad that such tactics have so far not infected any COVID-19 employees at the blood center.
V. Vilutienė said that the first wave of COVID-19 turned into a serious challenge: “As soon as the first quarantine started, the number of donors immediately decreased. This is affected by the limited number of people leaving home, teleworking and learning, the fear of becoming infected with the coronavirus and the ban on mass events. During quarantine, the Blood Center cannot conduct blood donation drives, the number of which has been reduced by almost half compared to 2019. “
Data compiled by the Institute of Hygiene also shows that the number of blood donations during quarantine has decreased. Although all 2020 statistics on the number of blood donations are not yet available, it can be seen that in the second quarter of last year, blood donations were significantly lower than in the same period of 2019.
According to the Institute of Hygiene, during 2020 In April, May and June, 21,363 blood donations were made at the National Blood Center, Santara Clinics and LSMU Kaunas Clinics. Meanwhile, in 2019, when COVID-19 was not yet available in the country, 26,717 blood donations were made to the same institutions during the same period.
Monitor the growing need for emergency care
Dr. V. Vilutienė states that there is a constant shortage of blood reserves in LSMU Kaunas clinics, all groups are necessary. According to the interlocutor, to meet the need it is necessary for 60 people to come to donate blood every day.
Meanwhile, L. Kryžauskaitė states that currently the need for blood components has decreased slightly due to the suspension of planned operations, but doctors are beginning to observe another worrying trend: planned operations are becoming urgent, requiring greater reserves of blood.
“I think there will be more. Sure, the day is not the same as the day, but we notice that there is one request after another. (…) There are the same severe COVID patients who are subject to circulatory rescue equipment, there are also emergency surgeries, and those patients who have had surgery before but have not received it ”, says the doctor.
© Vidmantas Balkūnas
L. Kryžauskaitė predicts that the situation may really get complicated in the spring, if the quarantine ends and the number of planned operations increases drastically again. The doctor says that now it is not necessary to invite a bulk blood donation, but it is important to prepare for the end of the quarantine, tell people that without them no one else will do it, and in case of lack of blood you may have to postpone planned operations.
“There are those who think that I won’t go, the next one will go. Another also thinks the same. Then comes Day X, when your family will need you. This is simple math. We are few. Imagine you go to the hospital and we say to you: sorry, we will not have an operation because there is no blood and we cannot be sure that it will not bleed. So what will it be like? There were ever such situations. Then the operation is postponed because there is no blood, everything is reserved for emergencies. I believe that in the 21st century. It shouldn’t be like that ”, says the interlocutor.
The doctor pointed out that blood centers cannot accumulate such stocks for a long time, because the drawn blood has a shelf life of 40 days.
Ko bijo?
When asked what fears prevent people from donating blood, V. Vilutienė recalls that in 2017. a survey of blood donors.
“Usually people say that they are afraid of feeling bad after donating, fear of needles, fear of blood, fear of getting infected, cannot reconcile with work, the uncomfortable location of the blood center or working hours, etc. . As I work on this job, I see that psychological disposition and motivation are very important to donation. I would also like to emphasize that it is not possible to become infected with bloodborne infections by donating blood, as all blood collection systems are sterile and disposable.
I also often hear people say that they cannot donate blood because they have a condition called jaundice. You should not guess for yourself if you can be a donor, but come to the Blood Center. We will examine the blood drawn and inform the person if any problems are found. Sometimes donors don’t even suspect their disease, ”says the doctor.
© DELFI / Kirill Chekhovsky
Another rumor, the prevailing myth, is that once a blood donation is made, it is supposed to be constantly “spilled”, because the body will demand it. However, V. Vilutienė emphasizes, there is no data to support such statements.
Meanwhile, L. Kryžauskaitė says that the habit of donating develops out of the satisfaction of doing a good job.
“It just came to our attention then. (…) those so-called happiness hormones are released and you get used to donating. It is the simplest chemistry. When a person donates regularly, the time comes and asks: why not me Are you calling? I want to go. Definitely not because the blood in her veins is full and they swell, “laughs the doctor.
Reduces stress, risk of some diseases.
While emotional addiction may seem terrible, the UK Mental Health Foundation has published a report summarizing the scientific evidence on how good work affects our health and well-being.
The report notes that altruistic behavior activates the brain’s reward system, which is considered an important pleasure center. In addition, that socially responsible behavior can cause euphoria, improve emotional well-being, reduce the level of stress experienced in the long term.
© DELFI / Domantas Pipas
A review by the UK Mental Health Foundation notes that even little people who do good work are more likely to identify themselves as good, boost their self-esteem, increase their sense of happiness, and reduce depressive symptoms.
Although less data has been collected on the effects of volunteering on youth well-being, the report cites sociologists Monica Kirkpatrick Johnson, Jeylan T. Mortimer, professor at the University of Minnesota School of Public Health, Dr. A study by Timothy Beebe and social psychologist Mark Snyder. During it, the researchers found that young volunteers have higher aspirations, better self-esteem and motivation to learn than those who are not volunteers.
L. Kryžauskaitė recalls that 5 liters of blood circulate in the human body and only 400 ml are taken during donation. “We don’t really do anything to activate something, to stimulate it; as the bone marrow produced the cells in the prescribed way, it continues to produce,” he emphasizes.
V. Vilutienė adds that regular blood donation activates blood circulation, renews blood cells, so there are benefits not only for emotional health but also for physical health.
“It just came to our attention then. This is important because excess iron is not good either. The deficiency can be compensated for, but the excess can be related to inflammatory processes. If people donate reactively, they are less prone to neoplasms. malignant, men are less likely to have high blood pressure. Certain studies show that the risk of myocardial infarction is also reduced, “says L. Kryžauskaitė even more.
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Who cannot donate blood?
Some people, doctors say, can’t really donate blood for certain health problems or other reasons. Currently, explains V. Vilutienė, doctors can be blood donors at 18 years of age and, in general, this voluntary activity can be carried out until the age of 65. The weight of the person who wants to sacrifice is also important, who weighs less than 50 kilograms cannot do it.
“The donor must be fed, rested, drink more fluids than usual before and after the donation. The appropriate levels of blood pressure, pulse and hemoglobin, which are determined when arriving at the Blood Center, are essential for the donation. I will remember that you need to have an identity document with you.
Donation is permanently prohibited for people suffering from serious active, chronic or recurrent diseases, neoplasms, hepatitis B or C, syphilis, HIV ”, says V. Vilutienė, which is why some people cannot donate.
The doctor explains that there are also cases when the blood draw must be delayed for a certain period of time.
“Donation is postponed for at least 4 months after surgery, tooth implantation, endoscopic examination, tattoo, drilling; 6 months: after delivery or termination of pregnancy. In the case of colds, fever, and herpes, donation is not possible until 2 weeks after recovery. Sometimes donations are delayed due to vaccinations, medications, dental procedures. There are more criteria for which donation is not possible, so everything is finally clarified during a medical examination at the Blood Center ”, recalls the interlocutor.
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