Routine diabetes screening in blood donation campaigns
- Author:
Samad Nor A’zian
;
Yong Pei Wen
;
Mahendran Kauthaman
- Publication Type:Journal Article
- Keywords:
blood donors;
diabetes;
prevention and control;
health promotion
- From:The Malaysian Journal of Pathology
2015;37(2):137-140
- CountryMalaysia
- Language:English
-
Abstract:
Background: Data from the National Health and Morbidity Survey 2011 showed that 20.8% of
Malaysians above 30 years have diabetes. 10.1%of them are undiagnosed. Mobile blood drives could
complement the public health department efforts in diabetes screening for early detection of the
illness. Aims: This study aims to determine the necessity of diabetes screening as a routine screening
program during blood donation campaign. Methods and Material: Blood donation campaigns which
involved the public community between January 2013 and June 2013 were included in this study.
Donors above 30-years-old, not known to have diabetes, consented for diabetes screening. Diabetes
screening was done by checking random capillary blood sugar (RCBS) levels while performing a
Hemoglobin test and ABO grouping. Donors with RCBS of ≥7.8 mmol/L were given appointments
for oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) to confirm the diagnosis of diabetes. Results: A total of 211
diabetes screenings were performed. Mean RCBS was 6mmol/L. 43(20.4%) donors had RCBS≥
7.8mmol/L. 10 donors were later diagnosed to have diabetes (5.0%) and 5 donors were prediabetes
(2.5%). 9 donors (4.3%) did not turn up for further investigation. Conclusions: Blood donors are
expected to be healthy volunteers. The diabetes prevalence among blood donors (5.0%) is considered
low if compared with the prevalence in the whole population (20.8%). However, the number is largely
comparable to the prevalence of undiagnosed diabetes in the country (10.1%). Routine diabetes
screening during blood donation campaign should be implemented to safeguard donors’ health and
serve as a public health initiative to improve community health.
- Full text:P020150923577871958944.pdf
