# Retrospective analysis of whole blood donor demographics at a rural University in India

## TL;DR

This study analyzes blood donor demographics in rural India to improve voluntary blood donation rates.

## Contribution

The study provides insights into donor demographics in rural Uttar Pradesh to guide recruitment strategies.

## Key findings

- 97.6% of donors were male, with 73% being first-time donors.
- 87.9% of donors were aged 18-34, and blood group B Positive was most common.
- Strategies to engage women and encourage repeat donations are recommended.

## Abstract

The WHO highlights a significant disparity in blood donation, with developing countries, comprising 82% of the global population,
contributing only 39% of the world's blood supply. Addressing this gap requires promoting voluntary blood donation and understanding
donor demographics. This study examines the demographic profile of blood donors in rural Uttar Pradesh (UP) from 2018 to 2023, analyzing
data from 45,067 donors at UPUMS Blood Centre. Results show that 97.6% of donors were male, 73% were first-time donors and 87.9% were
aged 18-34. Blood group distribution was "B" Positive (33.7%), followed by "O" Positive (29.4%), A Positive (26.3%) and "AB" Positive
(10.6%) and 4% were Rh-ve. The findings suggest that strategies to engage women encourage repeat donations and target students and
professionals could improve donor recruitment and retention.