Understanding general population impact and opportunities from changes to blood donation deferral screening and criteria for men who have sex with men

Our project has four objectives: 1) evaluate general Canadian population acceptability of a gender-blind screening questionnaire and the inclusion of sensitive questions in donor screening; 2) identify new potential donors and examine how changes to the MSM deferral policy will impact the sufficiency of blood products; 3) assess the acceptability of screening and alternative risk management technologies among patient and blood-user groups; and 4) provide evidence to inform campaigns and promotional materials to recruit and mobilize new potential donors. We will use a community-based mixed-methods research approach through collaborations with blood product user/patient groups. Our study will include a national, anonymous, bilingual, cross-sectional survey of at least 1,200 general population Canadians and 60 targeted, semi-structured, qualitative interviews with blood product recipient patients. Our unique integration of these two data sources we will connect the perspectives and opinions of general population and blood users on potential changes to blood donor screening and deferral. Our project will produce critical and robust evidence to inform applications for deferral criteria amendment in the shortterm, and international blood safety policy in the long-term. We strive for greater multi-stakeholder support to implement an individual behavioural-based risk assessment donor policy or to improve the current population-based policy.

LACHOWSKY, Nathan

University of Victoria

MSM Research Grant Program

British Columbia

$310,000