The subject of blood donation is widespread, especially in some areas of the world. Fortunately, there are many people who are aware of this and have in mind that they must go to donate with some regularity since blood expires and cannot be stored in such a way that it lasts longer than indicated.
Despite being something quite common in society, there are still people who do not dare to take the plunge. But do not worry! To help you with this process, we have selected some questions from the list of necessary questions that you are asked before donating blood so that you know what you are going to find. You should know, first of all, that the medical interview is one of the many tools that are used to evaluate potential donors with the aim of achieving greater safety of the blood that is going to be received. Let’s see it!
What is necessary to donate blood?
Before beginning to know the list of questions necessary to donate blood, it is important to start at the beginning. In this case, you should know if you can donate blood or not depending on your lifestyle, your age or your weight. Then they will ask you these questions about your medical history, your state of health and the possible ways of contagion of diseases that you may have had, such as risky sexual practices or recent trips.
To donate blood it is necessary to be over 18 years old (being of legal age in many countries) and weigh more than 50 kilos. It is also important that you have not donated blood in the last three months, as well as not suffering from blood-borne diseases or not being pregnant or lactating, among others. In addition, it is not necessary to go fasting (it is recommended to eat something before), and you cannot have drunk alcohol in the previous moments.
The questionnaire or medical interview that will be carried out on you is the first filter for donations, but it is not the only one. It serves, above all, as a barrier to identify infections, medications or possible risks that donated blood may carry.
Blood Donation Quiz Questions
The questionnaires prior to donating blood have undergone many modifications over the years, above all they will vary depending on the center where you want to donate and the country in which you live. The revisions of the questions were carried out to simplify the statements and avoid the fatigue or loss of interest that can be caused by answering all the questions. In general, the questionnaires have around 40 questions, among which are:
- Have you ever had or do you ever have a STD (Sexually Transmitted Disease or transmitted by blood (AIDS, syphilis,)?
- Have you had a sexual relationship with a new partner in the last few months without protection?
- Have you used drugs or do you have a history of intravenous or intramuscular drug use?
- Have you had sex for money or drugs or with people whose sexual habits are unknown or who practice prostitution?
- Have you had or do you have epilepsy or seizures after childhood?
- Have you suffered or do you suffer from chronic or serious diseases of the liver, kidneys, lungs, and/or angina pectoris, thrombosis…?
- Have you had any type of endoscopy (colonoscopy, gastroscopy, bronchoscopy or others)?
- Have you shared razors in the last four months, even with family or friends?
- Have you had a fever in the last 15 days or any mild infection in the last week?
- Have you ever used anabolic to gain muscle in your life?
- Have you received growth hormone treatment?
- Are you going to carry out any risky work activity in the next 12 hours after the donation? (Use heavy machinery, drive, climb a scaffold, cranes, dive, drive buses, trucks…)
- Has any of your relatives had Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease?
- Have you resided for more than 1 year, cumulative, in the UK during the period 1980-1996?