The infected blood inquiry: Impact on public perceptions of blood supply risk, safety, and donation attitudes

Mills, Richard; Merz, Eva‐Maria; Croucher, Mark; Masser, Barbara; Brailsford, Susan R.; Smith, Robert; Ferguson, Eamonn

Abstract

Background: The UK’s Infected Blood Inquiry (IBI) highlighted a major public health scandal, with at least 30,000 people infected and more than 3,000 deaths attributable to infected blood and blood products. This study investigates the impact of the IBI announcement on May 20, 2024, on public perceptions of blood supply risk, safety, and donation intentions in the UK compared to the USA.

Methods: A 2 (country: UK vs USA) x 2 (time: pre-, post-IBI announcement) between-within-subject study was conducted with 1,635 participants (888 UK, 747 USA). Pre-IBI data were collected from May 3-7, 2024, and post-IBI data from May 30-June 30, 2024. Key measures were perceived infection risk from transfusion, transfusion safety, willingness to donate and encourage others. The impact was assessed using differences-in-differences (DiD) and reliable-change-indices (RCI).

Results: UK participants showed a significant but small decrease in perceived safety compared to USA participants, with 1 in 30 UK individuals perceiving a significant reduction in perceived transfusion safety. Decreases in perceived safety were associated with significant decreases in willingness to donate and encouragement of others in the whole sample and in USA participants and significant decreases in willingness to encourage others in UK participants. Older people reported a greater reduction in safety, and non-donors were more likely to be put off donating and not ask others to donate as a result of their perception that safety had been reduced.

Conclusion: Overall, perceived safety decreased marginally in the UK general population. Future research should explore the long-term impacts of the IBI.

Citation

Mills, R., Merz, E., Croucher, M., Masser, B., Brailsford, S. R., Smith, R., & Ferguson, E. (2024). The infected blood inquiry: Impact on public perceptions of blood supply risk, safety, and donation attitudes. Transfusion Medicine, 34(6), 478-490. https://doi.org/10.1111/tme.13108

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Oct 24, 2024
• Online Publication Date: Nov 12, 2024
• Publication Date: 2024-12
• Deposit Date: Oct 28, 2024
• Publicly Available Date: Nov 19, 2024
• Journal: Transfusion Medicine
• Print ISSN: 0958-7578
• Electronic ISSN: 1365-3148
• Publisher: Wiley
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 34
• Issue: 6
• Pages: 478-490
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/tme.13108
• Keywords: blood safety; donor attitudes; infected blood inquiry; perceived risk
• Public URL: https://nottingham-repository.worktribe.com/output/41134832
• Publisher URL: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/tme.13108
• Additional Information: Received: 2024-08-05; Accepted: 2024-10-24; Published: 2024-11-12