The optimum number of units of blood and the associated number of blood donors required to meet a given population's needs remain undetermined globally. Typically, a whole blood donation rate of ten donations per 1000 population, at a minimum, is necessary to meet a country's blood needs. This rate is attributed to a WHO recommendation that 1% of a given country's population should donate blood to ensure a blood supply that is sufficient to meet clinical needs. This often cited metric was first referenced in a 1971 WHO report, yet neither supporting data or references were provided, suggesting that it was flawed at its founding. Regardless, this metric does not provide an accurate or contemporary determination of blood needs, which has ramifications for health service provision and planning, particularly in low-income and lower-middle-income countries. Modelling studies that account for geographical variability in disease burden, health-care infrastructure, and transfusion practices are needed to accurately estimate blood needs. A paucity of data to inform modelling remains a major obstacle in this regard. We discuss the history of the global blood donation index and highlight some factors that should be considered to better understand contemporary blood needs.

中文翻译：

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全球献血指数：输血需求的不完善衡量标准。


满足特定人群需求所需的最佳血液单位数量和相关献血者数量在全球范围内仍未确定。通常，每 1000 人至少有 10 次全血捐献率才能满足一个国家的血液需求。这一比例归因于世界卫生组织的建议，即某个国家 1% 的人口应献血，以确保血液供应足以满足临床需求。这一经常被引用的指标首次在 1971 年的世界卫生组织报告中被引用，但没有提供支持数据或参考资料，这表明它在成立时存在缺陷。无论如何，该指标并不能准确或实时地确定血液需求，这会对卫生服务的提供和规划产生影响，特别是在低收入和中低收入国家。需要进行模型研究来解释疾病负担、医疗保健基础设施和输血实践的地理差异，以准确估计血液需求。缺乏用于建模的数据仍然是这方面的主要障碍。我们讨论了全球献血指数的历史，并强调了为了更好地了解当代血液需求而应考虑的一些因素。