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. 2010 Jun;37(3):141-148.
doi: 10.1159/000313949. Epub 2010 May 20.

Demographic Changes: The Impact for Safe Blood Supply

Andreas Greinacher  1 , Konstanze Fendrich, Wolfgang Hoffmann
Affiliations

Demographic Changes: The Impact for Safe Blood Supply

Andreas Greinacher et al. Transfus Med Hemother. 2010 Jun.

Abstract
in English, German

The population structure in most European countries is currently changing, with a shift from younger to older age groups. Only sparse data exist on the impact of these demographic changes on future blood demand and supply. Data on blood recipients are sparse and unconnected to data on blood donors. The first part of this review summarizes studies on the effect of the demographic change on blood supply and demand. With respect to studies in North America and Europe on the impact of demographic changes on future blood supply, the demographic trends will affect many regions in the Western world similarly. These effects are most pronounced in the new member states of the European Union where birth rates declined abruptly after 1989. Coordinated efforts will be required to prevent blood shortages based upon these demographic trends in Western societies. The second part of this review is an overview of methodological approaches to obtain data on the sociodemographic background of the blood donor population.

In der Bevölkerungsstruktur der meisten europäischen Ländern ist derzeit eine Veränderung mit einer Verschiebung von jüngeren hin zu älteren Altersgruppen zu beobachten. Bezüglich der Auswirkungen dieses demographischen Wandels auf den zukünftigen Blutbedarf und die Blutversorgung gibt es nur wenige Daten. Daten zu Blutempfängern sind gleichfalls rar und ohne Bezug zu denen der Blutspender. Der erste Teil dieses Reviews gibt eine Übersicht zu Studien, die sich mit dem Effekt des demographischen Wandels auf den Blutbedarf und die Blutversorgung befasst haben. Ausgehend von diesen nordamerikanischen und europäischen Studien ist davon auszugehen, dass sich die demographischen Trends in vielen Regionen der westlichen Welt in ähnlicher Weise auf die Blutversorgung auswirken werden. Diese Effekte sind in den neuen Mitgliedsstaaten der Europäischen Union aufgrund des abrupten Absinkens der Geburtenrate nach 1989 am ausgeprägtesten. Koordinierte Anstrengungen werden nötig sein, um in den westlichen Gesellschaften Blutengpässe, die aus diesen demographischen Trends resultieren, zu vermeiden. Der zweite Teil dieses Reviews ist eine Übersicht zu methodischen Ansätzen, um Daten über den soziodemographischen Hintergrund der Blutspenderpopulation zu erhalten.

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Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Age group-specific transfusion rates of the University Hospital Greifswald per 100 persons of the respective age group living in the catchment area of the hospital. The University Hospital Greifswald is the only hospital in the city. Hence calculations approximately refer to the general population in the area.
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Estimate of absolute number of units of blood demand and supply until 2015 in the area covered by the University Hospital Greifswald using two models. In the first model (black line) the migration rates were assumed to be constant at the level of 2002 (demand, supply); in the second model (grey line) the negative migration rate was assumed to be 10% lower than in 2002, taken from [12].
Fig. 3
Fig. 3
a Age and sex distribution in the population of the 10 eastern European (new) member states of the EU 2004 and estimation for 2025. b Age and sex distribution in the population of the 15 western European (old) member states of the EU 2004 and estimation for 2025 [21].
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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