Caring for Those Who Share: Improving the Health of Wisconsin Blood Donors

Blood donors are a precious community resource. Each month at Blood Center of Wisconsin (BCW), 200 men and 600 women over age 50 are turned away ("deferred") because of anemia. In those over 50, anemia may signal serious underlying disease such as colorectal cancer (CRC). CRC is the #3 cause of cancer death in Wisconsin with more than 1,000 deaths in 2006. Yet with proper testing CRC outcomes can be improved by early diagnosis. This project will focus on a population of deferred older blood donors to develop and test educational materials that will motivate donors to seek medical attention for their anemia, so that the underlying cause is diagnosed and treated. This project has the potential to lead to better CRC outcomes in Wisconsin blood donors.

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Key information

Conditions

Anemia Colonic Diseases Colorectal Cancer Colorectal Neoplasms Digestive System Diseases Digestive System Neoplasms Gastrointestinal Diseases Gastrointestinal Neoplasms Hematologic Diseases Hemic and Lymphatic Diseases Intestinal Diseases Intestinal Neoplasms Neoplasms Neoplasms by Site Rectal Diseases

Age range

18 year and older

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Interventional

Phase

Not applicable

Primary location

BloodCenter of Wisconsin

Milwaukee, Wisconsin, 53201, United States

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: No

Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.

Inclusion criteria

adult blood donors who have been "deferred" (not allowed to donate) due to low blood count, specifically all male donors found to have hematocrit < 38% and to all female donors over 50 years old found to have hematocrit < 36%

Exclusion criteria

deferred donors who have previously donated more than 3 times in the past year, as their anemia is more likely due to frequent donation
women less than 50 years old

Treatment and study plan

Educational Brochure

Behavioral

This brochure will educate anemic blood donors regarding the possible causes of their anemia, and based on age will make recommendations for who should seek consultation with a physician.

Standard pamphlet

Behavioral

The BloodCenter of Wisconsin's default action when a potential donor has been found to be anemic is to provide a standard pamphlet with very basic nutritional information.

Primary outcomes

self-reported seeking of medical care for diagnosis of anemia found at time of blood donation

Time frame: 3 months

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

Medical College of Wisconsin

Other

Collaborators

Healthier Wisconsin Partnership Program
National Anemia Action Council
Versiti Blood Health

Registry information

Important dates

Study start: 2008
Primary completion: 2009
Study completion: 2009
First posted: Oct 15, 2008
Registry last updated: Aug 11, 2010

OpenTrials presents study information sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. The official registry record should be consulted for the latest information.

View the official ClinicalTrials.gov record (opens in a new tab)

This listing is for discovery and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, does not guarantee that a study is recruiting, and does not determine eligibility. Contact the study team and a qualified healthcare professional when considering participation.

Published trials that share one or more normalized conditions with this study.

Completed