Wedding Packages Under 10k, Haridwar To Hisar Volvo Bus, North Brunswick Soccer, Articles M

We use the term gender-blind screening here to align with the language commonly used in blood donation policy debates in Canada. (age 22, HIV-negative, Vancouver). While another declared that I think they [sexually active persons] should both donate blood and it should just be tested (age 26, HIV-negative, Toronto). A recurrent theme among some participants was the feeling that it is unfair and/or unclear why heterosexuals can have frequent casual unsafe sex and still donate blood while they themselves are not able to donate blood when practicing safer sex strategies and/or being in monogamous relationships. For example, one man put it like this: In an ideal world, then, the rules should be the same for everybody, because straight people get HIV, they get STIs, theyre not always monogamous, they have oral sex, they have anal sex. Benefits of blood donor for these women have a lot to prove. Please correct the errors and submit again. According to scientific studies, regular plasma and even whole blood donation provide health benefits for the donor. So why is there a time limit? (age 30, HIV-negative, Toronto). Gay and bisexual mens views on reforming blood donation policy in Canada: a qualitative study, https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-019-7123-4, https://blood.ca/en/blood/am-i-eligible/abcs-eligibility, https://blood.ca/en/blood/am-i-eligible/men-who-have-sex-men, https://blood.ca/en/news-and-events/newsroom/blood-donation-waiting-period-for-men-who-have-sex-with-men-reduced-to-three-months, https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/publications/diseases-conditions/summary-estimates-hiv-incidence-prevalence-canadas-progress-90-90-90.html, https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/calls-escalate-for-lifting-blood-donor-ban-on-men-who-have-sex-with-men/, http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/, http://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/. While the most obvious health benefit of donating blood is the wonderful feeling derived from giving something vital to someone who needs it, the benefits of donating blood may extend far beyond this to having a positive impact on the donor's health. Whats In a Medical Record? Privacy MSM is an epidemiological category with policy relevance, but everyday people are more likely to refer to themselves and communities through common monikers or identities like gay, bisexual, and queer [42]. Preserve cardiovascular health. Talk with an admissions advisor today. Metabolism and weight loss: How you burn calories - Mayo Clinic Would it be a pool of candidates who could be trusted enough in terms of the accuracy of the information provided? Donating blood can help reduce excess iron levels in the blood thereby preventing hemochromatosis, a condition which can increase risk of cardiovascular diseases including heart attack and. CBS provides an overview of how blood safety is a primary priority at every step of the process from donor screening and testing to production and storage [31]. Shaw R. Perceptions of the gift relationship in organ and tissue donation: views of intensivists and donor and recipient coordinators. The fact that we can store blood and use it when we need it in partswhether you need the red cells, the plasma, or the plateletshas been a huge medical advance.. Due to become a blood donor, there are special conditions. 2019. https://blood.ca/en/blood/blood-safety. Blood donation has been a mark of responsible citizenship and altruismto not be able to donate is, by consequence, a way of restricting citizen involvement [24]. Another participant argued that the 3-month deferral would only be a good choice if it was applied to heterosexuals as well and if its the same rules for everyone then yes but if its just targeting gay men Id say no (age 49, HIV-negative, Vancouver). Its a good thing to do. Simply put, thats a lot of blood. The interviews followed the interview guide closely to ensure consistency across the three cities. *The study referenced was conducted on nearly 3,000 middle-aged men living in Eastern Finland.EDITORS NOTE: This article was originally published in March 2015. Another stated: if somebody gave somebody head [i.e. This participant went on to clarify that more research is needed to improve the policy and that the work shouldnt just stop there [3 months]. Even the loss of blood from a wound was treated byremoving more blood! The study focused on patients affected by peripheral arterial disease (PAD), which the Mayo Clinic describes as a common circulatory problem. Since 2016, in Canada, a man had to be abstinent from all sexual contact (anal or oral sex) with other men for at least 12months in order to be an eligible blood donor. Second, we recruited a heterogeneous sample of HIV-negative participants in terms of their sexual risk profile, which were determined by using participants responses to the Engage quantitative questionnaire in order to calculate their HIV Incidence Risk Index for Men who have Sex with Men (HIRI) scores. 2002;136(4):3129. Many articulated how an MSM-specific policy appeared to be based on outdated knowledge and logic that they did not agree with or understand. Lower Your Risk of Heart Attack or Stroke The great news is that in addition to saving lives, giving blood regularly benefits your health too! Some participants articulated that they simply did not understand why blood donation policy was different in instances of opposite-sex versus same-sex sexual activity. In short, men articulated the view that MSM as a population group may have higher rates of HIV, but individuals within that population can be at significantly less risk of HIV or STIs compared to people currently eligible to donate blood [37]. Men'S Health Benefits Of Donating Blood - Health Benefited Usually, donating blood maximum 5 times a year with a donation within three months, can be said to be routine. Is there a right to donate blood? The beliefs and willingness of men who have sex with men to comply with a one year blood donation deferral policy: a cross-sectional study. its just may occur a decrease in heart rate and blood pressure drop sometimes. If we detect an issue with your vital signs or another health issue, we would direct you to go to a physician at that point to be checked, DeSimone says. The interviews lasted between 30 to 90minutes and were digitally audio recorded. Sarah Vossoughi, MD, RN,is the medical director of apheresis and associate director of transfusion medicine and cellular therapy at NewYork-Presbyterian/Columbia University Irving Medical Center. 2012:4217. 6 Surprising Health Benefits of Donating Blood - Rasmussen University 2010;10(2):12. The sections below will look at some benefits for the donor. Haire B, Kaldor JM. Actively, it heps the metabolism process of vitamins, minerals, protein, fats, and carbohydrates. Indeed, though highly interested in a blood donation policy that would be applied the same to everyone regardless of sex and sexual orientation, many of our participants were also aware that the sex of the potential donor could be a significant factor in determining their risk levels. Though they did not consider this to be the ideal policy, they understood this to be an incremental step in the right direction. Good news for regular blood donors, in which the content of iron in the blood can be controlled by means of a blood donor. Hemochromatosis is a disease that causes an iron overload and is labeled as the most common genetic disease among Caucasians by the Mayo Clinic. on Men who have sex with men. Background: One of the most important problems in finding blood donors is the inadequacy of volunteer number. Forgiveness: Letting go of grudges and bitterness - Mayo Clinic Multiple physiological and behavioural factors can disqualify a person indefinitely from donating blood in Canada or lead to a temporary donation deferrala period of time during which one is not eligible to donate blood. A predominant assertion was that a change from a 12-month to a 3-month deferral period would not resolve the fundamental issues of fairness and equity affecting blood screening practices for GBM in Canada. This policy reform to a 3-month period of sexual abstention has occurred within a shifting landscape of biomedical HIV prevention [19] and knowledge of the epidemiology of sexually transmitted and blood infections (STBBIs) in Canada. A health care provider, such as a doctor or registered . 5 Volunteering and giving are often linked to positive health outcomes, including a reduced risk for depression. This means that there will be a blockage in blood vessels. It irks me. This participant echoed a theme common across many interviews: MSM blood deferral policy is anti-gay sex. Potential qualitative study participants who completed the quantitative components of Engage and agreed to be contacted for additional studies were emailed and asked if they would be interested in being interviewed for this qualitative study. That will be even more positive (age 67, HIV-negative, Vancouver). Men'S Health Benefits Of Donating Blood - Health Benefited Researchers have found that isometric exercises - engaging muscles without movement - are best for reducing blood pressure. If you go to specific blood donation location each time, youll get to know some of the staff who are also dedicating themselves to the cause of saving lives. What is a healthy blood pressure? Know what the numbers mean. - USA TODAY The primary objectives of our research were to understand GBMs attitudes toward and acceptability of the blood deferral policy in place at the time of the interviews (12-month deferral), as well as their opinions on possible reforms to this policy. Make sure your answer has only 5 digits. Public Health Agency of Canada. In December 2015, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) moved from a lifetime ban on gay and bisexual men donating blood to a deferral of one year for any man who has had sex with another man during the past 12 months. Participants discussed how they saw MSM-specific donation policies as inequitable since they did not seem to consider scientific advancements in HIV testing. But us, because its ok with the straights, youre homosexual, you wait 3 months. For example, one participant stated that the reason for the indefinite ban had something to do with maybe religion or just the stigma on homosexuality (age 26, HIV-negative, Toronto), while another claimed, I think that at that point it was mostly fear and paranoia that caused [the life ban] but since then theres been a lot more testing and research done to disprove it [as necessary] (age 34, HIV-negative, Toronto). But you have to worry is Low Density Lipoprotein (LDL), which can lead to clogging and blocking the flow of blood. Less anxiety, stress and hostility. Fortunately, this blood can benefit others. Giving blood can reveal potential health problems While it isn't the same thing as a trip to the doctor, donating blood can be another way to keep an eye on your cardiovascular health. 2007;17(3):1618. Within a few days of a blood donation, your body replaces the lost fluids. The risk of transfusion-transmitted HIV from blood donations of men who have sex with men, 12 months after last sex with a man: 2005-2007 estimates from England and Wales. The pre-exposure prophylaxis-stigma paradox: learning from Canada's first wave of PrEP users. One man argued that this policy shift would probably increase the blood donor pool with a fairly good-sized group, but he ultimately argued that such a policy in all actuality does not affect whether or not Im eligible or not eligible if Im meeting all the criteria thats set. The men we spoke with argued that more equitable policy would be one more aligned with sound scientific evidence. The majority who believed that any MSM-specific policy was discriminatory and inequitable continued to consider a 3-month deferral to be an inadequate policy change. Summary: Estimates of HIV incidence, prevalence and Canadas progress on meeting the 90-90-90 HIV targets, 2016. The Surprising Health Benefits of Donating Blood in Lifestyle, Wellness Donating blood saves lives, including yours! The following are some of these health benefits: It Can Improve the Donor's Heart Health. Similarly, one interviewee thought the 3-month policy would be productive I think. In the blood there is a component called iron. Politics latest: Sadiq Khan says 14 times he's 'listening' on ULEZ A few participants also commented that having low risk sex like oral sex as an exclusion criterion did not make sense to them: Well my understanding is that they can now donate blood if theyve been celibate for a year. For example, one participant described how he thought this could work in practice: I think that it should be rapid point of testing at the donation site. Third, we recruited several HIV-positive men in each city to capture a comprehensive view of how blood donation policy affects GBM communities, including its connections with HIV stigma. An excess of iron in the liver can cause diseases such as Hepatitis C, Hepatitis B, and cirrhosis. This work was funded as part of a strategic initiative aimed at generating evidence to inform alternative blood and plasma screening deferral practices for MSM while maintaining the safety of the blood supply. Ladd, who is also an actor, thought she had six months left to live but the doctor said taking walks . Iron is an effect on the thickness of the blood. Participants articulated that MSM blood donor policies were an institutional outcome of homophobia and discrimination and had little to no current scientific rationale that many could understand. Germain M, Robillard P, Delage G, Goldman M. Allowing blood donation from men who had sex with men more than 5 years ago: a model to evaluate the impact on transfusion safety in Canada. Donating blood also improves heart health by reducing the thickness of your blood and reducing your chance of a heart attack, along with reducing the amount of iron in your body. For example, when describing Geographic Deferrals CBS explains that [d]onor screening procedures are exclusionary, but the exclusion is based on risk factors. I mean if the only possible way to approach it is to approach it from the perspective of an abstention period (age 23, HIV-negative, Vancouver). What Are the Benefits of Regular Blood Donation? - iCliniq Blood contains iron, if the iron in blood is overload, cholesterol can be oxidized. Reflections on the MSM deferral. How to Get Into Healthcare Administration: What It Takes to Get Started. Benefits of Donating Blood | 5 Ways to Promote Health & Save Lives CAS Blood Donating blood About an hour of your time could change someone's life. The men we interviewed demonstrated varying levels of knowledge regarding how blood donation works in practice. Whatever rules are in place over there should be fine for us because its why at this point? (age 24, HIV-negative, Toronto). The benefits of donating blood include helping people injured in accidents, undergoing cancer treatment, and battling blood diseases, among other reasons. Actual Decrease in heart rate and blood pressure are normal reactions to the donating blood. Thus, opinions about equitable policy and scientifically informed policy were mutually intertwined. DG, MG, and DL coded interview transcripts. There is a need for critical reflection on how a general epidemiological message about HIV risk among MSMno doubt, an important message necessary to advance research and advocate for services to improve MSM sexual health outcomescan be used to exclude all MSM from civic engagement, and, intentionally or not, moralize and stigmatize gay men, their sexual practices and relationships, and HIV even further. Kesby M, Sothern M. Blood, sex and trust: the limits of the population-based risk management paradigm. 2011;343:d5604. PubMed Central This research received funding support from the Canadian Blood Services MSM Research Grant Program, funded by the federal government (Health Canada) and the provincial and territorial ministries of health. Stress is one of the triggers premature aging, if you can keep your mind, then by a blood donor, you can keep your skin that are not easily wrinkled. The aim of the present study is to investigate the effects of blood donation on oxidative status markers and acute-phase reactants. By Dominique Hodgin, MA, NE, NBC-HWC It all started with a routine blood test followed by a call from my doctor. Participants awareness of the history of MSM-specific blood donation policies in Canada varied. You know, probably like a month, I tend to think. Meanwhile another participant described the 3-month deferral as being more like possible (age 27, HIV-negative, Vancouver) to increase his eligibility. It is estimated that approximately 2000 people in Canada, many of whom were hemophiliacs, contracted HIV through the blood supply, and many more with hepatitis, resulting in a billion-dollar compensation package for those affected [11, 13]. Please select another program or contact an Admissions Advisor (877.530.9600) for help. Depleting those extra iron deposits by donating blood gives your vessels more room to operate. Development of a clinical screening index predictive of incident HIV infection among men who have sex with men in the United States. The community engagement committees were made up of service providers and members from local GBM communities who were responsible for advising on Engages study design and implementation, as well as offering input on analysis plans. It can affect in blood and increase friction when blood flow in the blood vessels thus increasing the risk of the occurrence of resistance in the blood vessels. Allied Health Professionals: Who Are They and What Do They Do? Blood Donations - Human Rights Campaign Benefits of blood donation, for others and yourself. Is Donating Plasma Good for Your Body? Benefits & Drawbacks - MedicineNet He preferred a 6-month abstention-based policy. BMC Public Health 19, 772 (2019). It is also a way to feel that you have positively helped during the COVID-19 crisis. Orsini M, Hindmarch S, Gagnon M. Introduction. Again, pulling up to a [gay] couple thats been together for 20 years and being completely monogamous for some reason they have to stop having sex for 3 months just [because] the blood might be tainted. For example, one man described MSM-specific blood donation policies as necessary for public safety given higher rates of HIV among gay men: Well I think its statistically proven that gay men do have higher rates of HIV infection compared to straight people, and also they are statistically having more sex and more dangerous sex than other populations. In: Hindmarch S, Orsini M, Gagnon M, editors. Surprising Benefits of Donating Blood - The Queen's Health System Health benefits of donating blood - St. Mary's Medical Center While moves towards a 3-month deferral were viewed as positive by some participantsapparent stepping stones on a road to equitythe majority still considered any policy that maintained a MSM-specific deferral as representing a form of othering and being discriminatory. Would you like to know more about Men's health benefits of donating blood,it has the latest research. Canada: University of Toronto Press; 2018. p. 251306. Our analysis demonstrates that many GBM are highly aware and reflexive of their sexual risk levels and thus capable of self-reporting for the purposes of donation.