How can you help? You can help by donating, spreading awareness on why donation is crucial and encouraging those around you to donate. Boosting diversity in blood donation saves lives. Donors not only aid their communities but also strengthen the system for all patients.
 @geoff-white.bsky.social

Efforts to rebuild trust include education on the Ro antigen's role in Sickle Cell care and NHSBT working with charities to update rules. E.g. donors are no longer asked a discriminatory question about sexual activity in sub-Saharan Africa, where HIV is common.
www.theguardian.com/politics/202...

Addressing distrust requires systemic change; good intentions aren't enough. In healthcare settings minorities are treated unfairly, fuelling distrust. Inclusive campaigns, diverse representation and trusted partnerships can rebuild trust and boost blood donation, e.g., #DearSickleCell campaign.

Historical injustices like the Tuskegee Study and Windrush Scandal have broken trust in state systems. Caribbean immigrants in the UK from 1948-73 were falsely labelled illegal, they lost their homes, jobs and were even deported. These betrayals boost distrust, making donation campaigns difficult.🏠🚨

Trust predicts donation willingness differently for each ethnic minority. In ethnic minorities, trust in individuals matters most, while for White donors, trust in NHSBT is key. Because of this campaigns must tailor their approaches to these motivators to attract individuals and recruit effectively.

The study identified 5 domains of trust: NHS, Individuals, NHSBT, Outgroups and Politics. Compared to other minorities Black communities have low trust in these domains as well as very high conditional trust. This distrust stems from not only healthcare experiences but from broader systemic issues.

🧩 Why not use non-matched blood? Using mismatched blood in transfusions can cause alloantibodies, complicating future treatments and putting patients at risk due to haemolytic transfusion reactions. This makes frequent access to Ro blood vital for the safety and survival of Sickle Cell patients.

SCD is an inherited disorder that causes misshapen red blood cells that block blood flow, leading to severe pain and anaemia. SCD is most common in African and Caribbean groups. Treatment often involves transfusions with matched Ro blood every 8 weeks, however demand vastly outweighs supply. 🩸💉

Most know ABO of blood groups but not the Rh system including Ro antigen. This antigen is crucial treating for Sickle Cell Disease (SCD) patients; it is found in 52% of Black people and 2% of White people. Yet, only 1.2% of donors are Black resulting in a critical shortage as Ro demand grows yearly.